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

Drones top of mind for hemp producers considering artificial intelligence

Published January 16, 2020 | By Laura Drotleff

As the hemp industry increasingly looks to artificial intelligence to cut costs and improve yields, drones are top of mind for many entrepreneurs.

USDA publishes directory for DEA-certified hemp testing laboratories

Published January 15, 2020

Facing confusion from hemp growers and testing companies, federal agriculture officials have published a list of laboratories authorized to test hemp THC concentration under the new interim final rule. The new hemp regulations require labs to be certified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to handle hemp crops testing over the legal limit of […]

Oregon State University gets $2.5M in federal funding for hemp research

Published January 15, 2020

Federal officials designated money for hemp research at Oregon State University’s Global Hemp Innovation Center as part of the nearly $20 million earmarked for the hemp industry in the massive appropriations bill that passed both houses of the U.S. Congress at the end of 2019. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkeley, a Democrat from Oregon, said Monday […]

Congress ramping up pressure to ‘provide a pathway forward’ for hemp, CBD

Published January 15, 2020 | By Laura Drotleff

New legislation introduced by the top-ranking member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee could require federal food and agriculture regulators to treat hemp-derived CBD as a dietary supplement. Agriculture Chair Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat, suggests changing the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C) to include the regulation of hemp-derived CBD and products containing […]

Oregon hemp farm suing processors for $11 million

Published January 14, 2020

A farm in southern Oregon is suing a group of processors who they say failed to show up and harvest and process its hemp after receiving a six-figure down payment. Jefferson State Farms of Medford, owned by Ben and Kathleen Yuma, is suing: Palex Enterprises. Hemp Warehouse. Great Horizons. Four individuals. The lawsuit, claiming civil fraud, […]

Using artificial intelligence to cut expenses, improve plant quality and manage supply

Published January 14, 2020 | By Laura Drotleff

Technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly evolved in traditional indoor agricultural production in recent years, as companies use the vast amounts of data produced in their operations to make better production and management decisions.

Kentucky hemp group urges state to keep old rules – for now

Published January 13, 2020

Kentucky hemp farmers are asking the state to hold off on attempts to win federal approval for regulating the new crop. After the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) returned Kentucky’s hemp production plan with an outline of changes that must be made to ensure federal approval for the 2020 planting season, a hemp association asked […]

Hemp could be ‘paradigm changer’ in agricultural diversity and lead to better support for minority farmers

Published January 13, 2020 | By Laura Drotleff

Opportunities abound in the hemp industry, but to attain the crop’s full potential, it’s going to require people from all walks of life, according to industry observers. “I want to go to a conference and not feel like I’m the only black guy there,” said Malcolm Anderson, founder and CEO of The Prophet Society, a vertically […]

Sephora deepens its CBD offerings with extensive new brand partnership

Published January 10, 2020

A cosmetics, skin-care and beauty products specialty retailer will carry more products containing CBD in stores across several states after signing its largest cannabis-related partnership. New York-based retail giant Sephora will sell products from California beauty company Saint Jane in 281 stores across 22 states as of Jan. 10, according to The Fresh Toast. Saint […]

Federal hemp producer licenses delayed while USDA waits for White House

Published January 9, 2020

Federal hemp licenses promised last fall have yet to appear, a delay that federal agriculture officials are blaming on extended discussions with the White House. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initially said that farmers in areas that have legalized hemp production but opted out of regulating it could apply for federal licenses by Nov. 30. […]

South Dakota gov drops opposition to hemp but calls for ‘guardrails’

Published January 9, 2020

Gov. Kristi Noem is relenting in her opposition to South Dakota’s development of a hemp industry. Noem said Wednesday she won’t veto legislation this session allowing hemp to be grown in the state but that she would require “guardrails” to regulate the plant. She said she wants the crop to be tightly regulated, with government […]

Hemp production too risky and restrictive for small farmers, advocates say

Published January 9, 2020 | By Laura Drotleff

High input costs, unstable genetics and a steep learning curve impacted most new hemp farmers in the first legal farming season after legalization of hemp as a commodity crop.