Earlier in 2019, Florida lawmakers approved the state’s first industrial hemp program. This was a campaign priority of Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried, and expectations were high. Hemp was branded as a savior for the slumping agricultural sector, and the hope was that crops could be planted this year, launching a multibillion-dollar industry. With the program now in […]

The inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference (FIHCE 2019) will be held November 3-5 in Orlando. FIHCE 2019 is a networking and educational event designed to foster the development of an industrial hemp industry in Florida. Topics at the conference include the latest information on the hemp market, state and federal legislation, growing and cultivation, research, banking, and […]

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says hemp farming in the Panhandle could bring relief from the billion and a half dollar hit to the region’s timber industry. She joined WFSU’s special Perspectives program this week, broadcast from Mexico Beach, on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Michael that left millions of acres damaged. Fried says hemp’s short […]