Schedule of Events

In a burgeoning industry that’s already experiencing the effects of commoditization, establishing relationships throughout your supply chain is key. Those partners span from your seed suppliers, to your post-harvest partners, to those who’ll be purchasing your product and more. It’s important to have confidence in those relationships not only to grow a successful crop, but also to ensure you won’t be sitting on unsold product at the end of the season. In this session, gain takeaways from farmers who’ve found success in vetting partners and protecting themselves with well-formed contracts.

Hemp businesses must be compliant on a federal, state and local level in order to operate legally. The pathway to identifying and following those regulations, however, isn’t clear cut. In this in-depth session, federal and state program experts will address evolving regulations—from navigating 2018 Farm Bill regulations from the USDA’S interim final rule and what the final rule will likely entail, to state-specific considerations—to help you prepare for the current and future regulatory landscape.

Because of its former illegality in the U.S., hemp has not been commercially bred and extensively analyzed like more common agricultural and horticultural crops, such as wheat, soybeans or even ornamentals. However, with the passage of the Farm Bills of 2014 and 2018, universities were quick to get on board to help farmers navigate this newly legal market, and their projects all over the country are providing valuable insights to help farmers succeed. In this session, researchers will update you on their latest projects on various aspects of hemp genetics and optimal cultivation strategies.

“In 2019, farmers faced significant challenges harvesting, drying and storing their crops properly …. Significant crop loss occurred during and post-harvest,” reported Hemp Grower in its May/June issue. Plus, harvest typically needs to happen quickly so you don’t miss your ideal harvest window or your hemp doesn’t become “hot” (where THC develops beyond its legal 0.3% threshold). In this special “lightning round” session, gain actionable tips from industry experts to help your hemp crop harvest, whether you’re growing for fiber, grain or cannabinoids, go smoothly and successfully.