PRINCESS ANNE, MD-(October 7, 2020)-University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension will host its second annual Industrial Hemp Conference November 5 in a virtual format due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.   Experts from universities and agencies across the country aim to educate growers and stakeholders about the status of the industry and the outlook for the future.

“We received a tremendous amount of interest from hemp growers and processors during our 2019 conference, which resulted in partnerships under the 2020 hemp pilot program,” said Dr. Sadanand Dhekney, associate professor of genetics and plant breeding in UMES’ Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences.  “We hope to pass on new research information and regulations that have been developed in the past year to our stakeholders for successful hemp cultivation.”   

This year’s conference will cover hemp production across varied macroclimates, marketing and processing, and state and federal regulations, Dhekney said.  Speakers from UMES will be joined by experts from the University of Maryland College Park, the University of Florida, and Kentucky State and Colorado State universities.  Representatives from businesses and agencies including the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Congressional Research Service, the Maryland Hemp Coalition, the Native Plant Company and Canna Ventures of West Virginia will also be part of the roundtable discussions.  The sessions, which take place virtually from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will be moderated by Dhekney and colleagues at UMES, Drs. Jurgen Schwarz, chair of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences; and James Bresette,  an associate professor of pharmacy practice and administration in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions.

Tickets are $15 and are now on sale for the 2020 edition of the UMES Industrial Hemp Conference on Eventbrite.  Registrants interested in also attending the UMES Small Farm Conference November 6-7 can purchase a combination ticket for $35, which includes all three days.

Call 410-655-7931 for more information.

Above:  UMES Field Technician Michael Foland trains UMES undergraduate and graduate students in the identification of maturity indices for industrial hemp cultivars. 

Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 410-621-3850, gcstephens@umes.edu.