Montana 2024, Part One: The Goodness of Hemp
This is part one of our coverage of the 2024 Montana Hemp Summit, also known as the "Goodness of Hemp" Summit, that took place in Great Falls, Montana, Oct. 15-17. First, please take action now. Help support the One Plant Kickstarter campaign. The episode opens with a conversation with Ken Elliott, co-founder of IND HEMP in Montana. Host Eric Hurlock and Ken talk about the recent summit, the introduction of HEMI, and why people in the hemp industry should stop what they’re doing right now and go help throw in on the "One Plant" documentary film KickStarter Campaign. Then you'll hear a series of interviews that Eric conducted with attendees at the summit. By order of appearance: Eduardo Garcia Chef and CEO of Montana Mex and Dream Farm, Eduardo shares his enthusiasm for hemp as a superfood and sustainable material. His work focuses on educating people about the connection between food, health and environmental sustainability. Cheryl Mitchell A food scientist with Steuben Foods in the Grains, Nuts and Seeds Ingredient Manufacturing division, Cheryl specializes in plant-based beverages. She talks about her process for creating nutrient-rich, highly digestible hemp milk and the health potential of hemp as a food source. Erica Campbell Co-founder and partner at InCommon Group, a food systems strategic consulting firm, Erica discusses her work in advancing regenerative agriculture. She highlights her involvement in the films "Kiss the Ground" and "Common Ground" and introduces the 100 Million Acres campaign to promote sustainable farming practices. Anjli Kumar Founder of Inner Bark Heritage, a sustainable textile startup in Atlanta, Georgia, Anjli explains her efforts to establish a U.S.-based farm-to-fabric hemp textile supply chain. She aims to make hemp apparel mainstream by managing each step from decortication to finished fabric. Guy Carpenter Hemp textile expert and founder of Bear Fiber, Guy shares his work on creating the Benton shirt, a hemp-cotton blend garment produced entirely in the U.S. He emphasizes the importance of re-establishing American hemp textile production for sustainable clothing options. Steve Groff Regenerative agriculture educator and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, hemp farmer, Steve reflects on the Montana Hemp Summit's networking value. He shares insights from his partnership with Larry Serbin on green decortication research and discusses hemp’s potential in reclaiming saline soils for agriculture. Larry Serbin An OG hemp entrepreneur collaborating with Steve Groff on green decortication research, Larry appreciates the summit’s role in building connections. His work focuses on advancing hemp processing technology to support a sustainable future for the industry. Jordan Berger and Maxwell Duryea Filmmakers from Sunflower Films, Jordan and Maxwell discuss their documentary "One Plant," which highlights hemp’s many applications. They share their excitement about launching a Kickstarter campaign at the summit to fund the film’s completion and bring awareness of hemp to a broader audience. Bob Quinn Organic farmer and founder of Montana Flour and Grain, Bob talks about his research with IND HEMP on using hemp to mitigate saline soil in Montana. Known for his work with ancient grains like Kamut, he sees hemp as a key player in regenerative farming. https://quinninstitute.org/ Contact: Questions or comments? Reach out to Eric at podcast@lancasterfarming.com Credits: This episode of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast is produced by Eric Hurlock. Music by Tin Bird Shadow. Thank you to our Sponsors: IND HEMP Americhanvre Mpactful Ventures Forever Green
