The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s first Industrial Hemp Conference was met with much attention from stakeholders and the local media. Over 200 attendees and local media representatives converged on the Student Services Center for the relevant event. The conference educated and provided participants with the most updated information about the emerging hemp industry and informed them about becoming nationally competitive for successful hemp production.
Experts from the industrial hemp industry provided information on hemp production and processing, marketing and laboratory analyses, and the legal and regulatory aspects of industrial hemp. Dr. William Hoffman, USDA NIFA Chief of Staff, was the keynote speaker. Topics covered included: Crop Production and Management, Industrial Hemp Processing and Marketing, and Federal and State Regulations for Industrial Hemp Production. A round table discussion featured the following UMES hemp researchers: Drs. Simon Zebelo, Naveen Kumar Dixit, Benham Khatabi, and Sadanand Dhekney. Exhibitors and suppliers were also on site.
