Illinois Virtual Hemp Summit
The Illinois Virtual Hemp Summit wrapped up earlier today and it was a success! This was huge step forward and a productive gathering for the hemp industry in Illinois and across the Midwest. It was a great start to 2021! To see all of these groups come together and make impactful presentations like they did today makes us proud to be a part of this industry.
The presentations were outstanding! We got the latest updates and interesting research developments, the groups that were highlighted are all providing valuable services to the Illinois hemp industry, and it was encouraging to hear the Illinois Department of Agriculture considers hemp a high priority!
We saw many familiar faces presenting today and we're glad that these groups are showing themselves to be long-term industry participants and are actively helping to stabilize the industry. The Illinois Department of Agriculture signaled they want to work more closely with hemp industry stakeholders to continuously improve their hemp production program going forward.
We'll make sure you'll get notified once the recording comes out that so you can watch the content at your leisure. Great job everyone!
Show-me Hemp Conference
Join the Show-Me Hemp Association team for a day of education and networking on March 1, 2021! Our CEO Rachel Berry will be among the speakers!
The Conference will be held in the heart of Missouri, at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Jefferson City.
The theme of the conference is “Bringing the Market to You” and will feature business owners and industry leaders who can help growers find buyers for their products. Click here to learn more!
NOCO. In Person. Next Month.
Hemp at the Crossroads Webinar Series #2 coming this Friday!
The hemp industry is rapidly changing, and the opportunity for growth is nearly endless. But where do we stand in 2021 and what's around the corner? Join us for the second webinar in our Hemp at the Crossroads webinar series to discuss where are and where we're going.
Details:
Friday, February 26, 2012 10 - 11 a.m. EST Free for MHC members | $10 for non-members
A Zoom link will be sent the morning of the meeting. Click Here to Register today!
New Sponsors!
We've got 8 additional sponsorships to announce! The diversity and expertise represented below is truly outstanding and the opportunities these sponsors bring to our members and the hemp industry at large mean more positive outcomes for hemp growers in Illinois. Join us in welcoming our latest sponsors!
Heartland Hemp
Our team is 110% dedicated to making our new customers lifelong buyers through our hard work and integrity. We wish to build an ongoing relationship that will progress all parties in this exploding industry.
Our success relies on our buyer’s success, and we are always available to discuss personalized and individual goals.
USHBA
The purpose of the USHBA is to support and advocate for hemp building professionals, hemp building projects and hemp building materials in the United States.
Like minded people have come together with a shared mission to use hemp as a sustainable building resource. Beyond education, we demonstrate the uses of hemp in building and are working towards certification of hemp building materials.
Miacanna
Mia Processing, LLC is a full-service extractor and processor in Illinois, just outside Chicago. We extract from industrial hemp biomass and process into winterized, decarbed crude, full-spectrum distillate, isolate, and broad-spectrum distillate.
We also intake crude and full-spectrum distillate to further process into the above-mentioned products.
Mia Vero
Mia Vero Naturals was founded by a team of extractors with one goal in mind; provide better alternatives. We strive to provide the most true and accurate products, while continuing to revise and improve our products with each batch.
Nature is synergetic with itself, and we want to explore and capture that, to bring the most benefit to our customers through true products, with true relief, at a true price. Mia Vero is “my truth”.
Planted Root
We created Planted Root Farms as a hobby to bring joy and happiness into the lives of our friends and family. Since forming a company in 2019, we’ve continued to cultivate premium hemp genetics, and our dream has expanded.
We now provide our premium brand products to loyal customers, while growing our local economy. Each day, we follow our core principles of Safety, Quality and Sustainability.
Chemtech
Chemtech Services Inc. designs and manufactures high vacuum distillation equipment based upon proprietary technology. Our expertise are in wiped film and short path evaporators for sensitive molecular separation.
Chemtech Services. 50% engineering, 50% science, 100% success.
International Hemp
International Hemp represents Industrial Hemp varieties that were bred by the Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants in Poznan, Poland. Through this partnership and our network of U.S. agricultural organizations, we provide North American farmers with the highest quality certified fiber and grain hemp seed.
We’re working with processors and manufacturers to help connect the pieces of the U.S. Hemp grain and fiber supply chain.
Sulcanna's 2nd Year
We are constantly refreshing our inventory through our partnership with the Midwest’s largest CBD hemp cooperative, made up entirely of craft hemp growers who invest considerable time and effort in producing the highest quality raw material for our products.
Our advantage is that we direct every stage of the process. We don’t rely on other suppliers for raw materials, hemp, CBD or processing – we do it all in house
Sulcanna renewed theirs, do you need to renew yours?
For many of our first members and sponsors the time to renew your dues and sponsorships is coming up soon. We know we've provided you, our members and sponsors, with valuable service and representation far exceeding the cost to you.
We continue to expand our services and offer you even more content than ever. Without trying to sound too much like public radio, please consider renewing your yearly commitment to the Illinois Hemp Growers Association. Thank you for your support!
USDA Final Rules
Last month The USDA released the final version of the rules on hemp production. There have been some very encouraging changes but we didn't get everything we (and many others) had suggested.
Click below to read our original comment from a year ago:
IHGA reaction to USDA hemp final rule
IHGA Reaction - The USDA is leaving the door wide open for farmers to figure out a way to remain compliant under the <0.3% total THC scheme. With all these new changes there is plenty of room for farmers to produce hemp with much greater certainty of compliance and security for their investment. The Illinois Hemp Growers Association applauds the creativity and flexibility from the USDA regarding hemp production.
Negligent violations - Going from 0.5% to 1% is a win for farmers, limiting it to only 1 per calendar year is a mistake. Breeders can easily have 10 separate instances where they produce plants that exceed 1% in a calendar year. This is stifling breeding efforts and industry progress.
Disposal and remediation of non-compliant plants - Allowing for remediation and alternative disposal methods is a win for farmers. The acceptable form of remediation is now to blend as much stalk and leaf into your non-compliant inflorescence as you need to make it compliant. Save your stalks!
Testing using DEA-registered laboratories - The extension of the deadline is a good thing for farmers and testing labs. This DEA requirement should be eliminated completely, although it’s understandable given the current schedule 1 status of THC. It’s also obvious that the USDA and DEA are hoping by 2022 we won’t have to worry about this anymore because THC will likely no longer be schedule 1.
Timing of sample collection - Going from 15 to 30 days being allowed to collect your sample prior to harvest is a huge win for farmers. This will make it so that you can grow your plants to maturity and flower for a full 8 to 10 weeks but only have to test samples that are 4 to 6 weeks old. This combined with the new sampling and remediation techniques mean it’s much easier to stay compliant.
Sampling method - This is a huge win for farmers. Sampling the entire plant instead of just the inflorescence means a lower overall THC concentration. Many more compliant tests will be possible with this sampling scheme. Overall CBD % will also go down, but the market will adjust. The most interesting thing about this change is there is flexibility for states and tribes to eliminate compliance testing in certain circumstances such as using certified seed or a history of producer compliance among other factors.
Conclusion - We are very happy with the USDA for making all of these positive changes. Obviously there are a lot of questions surrounding the need for such regulation if THC is no longer schedule 1 but in the meantime the burden of compliance on hemp farmers has been significantly reduced.
More Conversation
Click here to read an article that our reaction was featured in by Hemp Industry Daily.
Additionally we recently had a great conversation with our friends at Chillinois recording an episode of their podcast that starts with a deep dive into the final rules from the USDA. Just click the play button below to listen to the whole episode.
Click here to check out more episodes of the Chillinois Podcast!