The CBD industry is a significant opportunity for veterans, not only when it comes to treating medical challenges but also when it comes to finding purpose professionally after serving, according to Joshua Littrell, founder and CEO of Veterans for Cannabis. Littrell was at the Inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference in Orlando, where the group shared its purpose and product line …
Intergro Helping Farmers Grow Their ‘Hempire’
Farmers attending the inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference in Orlando had lots of questions about growing hemp as a commodity crop. Intergro was one company providing some answers for them. Intergro CEO Joe Gordhamer told farmers that if they have experience growing other crops, they can grow hemp. He said the potential use for the hemp is important, suggesting growing …
ZimmCast 629 – Farming Hemp in Florida
This week I attended the inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Expo in Orlando. Hemp has become a hot topic in agriculture today since so many states have created legislation allowing it to be grown and more are in the process. That includes my home state of Florida. I asked all the people I spoke with or interviewed during the …
Secretary Perdue Talks Mexico Trade
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue led a trade mission to Mexico this week to investigate new opportunities with our nation’s largest bilateral trading partner and second-largest export market for agricultural products. The secretary was joined by the heads of six state departments of agriculture: Bryan Hurlburt of Connecticut, Celia Gould of Idaho, Joseph Bartenfelder of Maryland, Chris Chinn of …
Ethanol Powered Jeep Wrangler Debuts in Vegas
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Kenny Hauk of Hauk Designs unveiled a new project at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week that highlights the benefits of higher ethanol blends in high performance vehicles – a Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler with more than 1,000 horsepower using a high-octane, low-carbon fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). …
Hemp Research Important to Production Progress
Hemp research is moving quickly in order to support industrial production of the crop, according to Jerry Fankhauser, Industrial Hemp Program Logistics Coordinator, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, UF-IFAS. “We’re moving as quickly as we can into a commercial environment with less than a year’s worth of research data. That’s a tall order,” said Fankhauser, who spoke at the inaugural Florida …
Hemp Industry Pleased with USDA Rule as First Step
With the release just last week of USDA’s interim rule for the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program, it was a big topic of discussion at the inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exposition this week in Orlando. National Hemp Association chairman Geoff Whaling says the rule is a good first step. “This was a herculean lift for them (USDA) because …
Learning at Inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference
I’m starting out this week on the agriblogging highway attending the first Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exposition in Orlando. With an expectation of 200 attendees the actual number is about 450 according to conference coordinator, Gene Jones. In the photo our keynote speaker is leading the program off today. She is Holly Bell, Director of Cannabis, Florida Department of …
Biofuels Groups Express Concerns at EPA Hearing
Representatives from multiple ethanol and biodiesel stakeholder organizations and companies delivered basically the same message to the Environmental Protection Agency during a hearing Wednesday on the proposal to make up for volumes lost under the Renewable Fuel Standard due to small refinery waivers – nice try, but you still need to follow the law. Here is what some had to …
USDA Deputy Secretary on Trade Mission in West Africa
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Steve Censky is on a trade mission to West Africa this week to help United States exporters unlock new opportunities in a region where strong economic growth is driving demand for imported food and farm products. He is joined by representatives of more than 40 companies and organizations seeking to increase exports of U.S. agricultural …