EMAIL: laurad@staging-hempindustrydaily.kinsta.cloud
PHONE: 720.213.5963

Laura Drotleff

Laura has specialized in agricultural journalism for the past 20 years. Most recently she served as the editor of a B2B publication and multimedia properties focused on productivity, efficiency and profitability in commercial greenhouse cultivation. She has reported on multiple aspects of specialty crops including floriculture, fruit, vegetables, citrus and cannabis. She also has served extensively on various horticulture industry association boards. Laura is a Michigan State University graduate and is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Proposed new ag chief Tom Vilsack clears 1st hurdle

Published February 1, 2021

The Senate Agriculture Committee holds a confirmation hearing for Tom Vilsack Tuesday morning.

Biden moves on climate change have hemp industry seeing opportunity

Published January 27, 2021

Hemp advocates say the plant’s carbon-gobbling properties position the crop to play an important role in plans outlined by President Joe Biden to tackle the climate crisis.

New cannabis beverage council drawing inspiration from alcohol prohibition to boost segment

Published January 27, 2021

The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, an industry trade and advocacy organization, has formed a new Cannabis Beverage Council to connect cannabis industry and beverage industry leaders focused on expanding the cannabis beverage segment.

Hemp provides American Indian tribes with new economic opportunities, commercial partnerships

Published January 22, 2021 | By Laura Drotleff

Hemp and CBD companies have been working with American Indian tribes in the years since the 2018 Farm Bill was passed, offering a legal pathway for tribes to produce hemp and commercial outlets for selling it.

After years of delay, American Indian tribes still face difficulty realizing new economic opportunities in hemp

Published January 21, 2021 | By Laura Drotleff

It’s been more than two years since nationwide hemp legalization offered a legal pathway for American Indian tribes to produce hemp and CBD and find commercial outlets for selling it. But it hasn’t been an easy road for tribes to establish hemp production.

Indiana warns hemp farmers of unscrupulous seed vendors

Published January 18, 2021

Indiana regulators are warning hemp farmers to watch out for predatory hemp seed vendors that are currently active within the state.

Hemp industry advocates dish reactions on USDA final hemp rules

Published January 18, 2021 | By Laura Drotleff

Hemp industry advocates confided both their relief and their concerns to Hemp Industry Daily about some of the most significant changes implemented in the final rules. Here are their impressions on what to watch in the coming months.

USDA, Interior tapped for new interagency subcabinet to more effectively manage wildfires

Published January 15, 2021

After wildfires ravaged the West Coast in 2020, scorching thousands of acres of land and damaging businesses and crops, including countless farms and businesses in the cannabis industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday established a separate Interagency Wildland Fire Subcabinet, focused on wildfire management by executive order.

Hemp licenses up, but acreage down in 2020 – yet industry is optimistic for growth

Published January 13, 2021 | By Hemp Industry Daily staff

Last year hemp farmers took a step back and devoted fewer resources to the crop – the enthusiasm of previous years tempered by oversupply, supply-chain issues and a lack of infrastructure.

FDA says it seeks ‘real world data’ to fill in CBD research gaps in ‘end of administration’ update

Published January 11, 2021 | By Hemp Industry Daily staff

Federal food and drug officials said Friday that they plan to fill in current CBD research gaps with “real world data” — but industry advocates are frustrated that regulators haven’t done enough to clear up the rules, which has caused supply-chain bottlenecks while leaving consumers to navigate an increasing field of unregulated products.

Global efforts to reduce plastics pollution could make way for alternatives like hemp

Published January 6, 2021 | By Hemp Industry Daily staff

The Canadian government rolled out a list of single-use plastic in the fourth quarter of 2020 that will be banned in the country by the end of 2021.

Hemp baby greens may be the next salad superfood, researchers say

Published January 4, 2021 | By Laura Drotleff

Could hemp baby greens be the next must-have superfood heading for consumers’ salad bowls? Researchers around the country are studying the viability of another potential revenue stream for producers, beyond the grain, fiber and flower crops for which the hemp plant has become most closely associated. Hemp baby greens are being grown and taste-tested as […]