Midwest Hemp Technology Brings More Processing Power to Kansas

Episode • Dec 7, 2022 • 50m

On this week’s hemp podcast, we talk to Sarah Stephens, CEO of Midwest Hemp Technology, a hemp processing company in Augusta, Kansas, that contracts local farmers to grow hemp grain and fiber to produce hemp seed food and oil, as well as long-strand fiber.

Stephens’ journey into hemp started with CBD, but she realized that the potential for long-term growth was on the fiber and grain side, especially in Kansas with it’s ample farmland and existing agriculture infrastructure.

“I grew for CBD the first two seasons, like 95% of all licenses in Kansas were designated for,” she said. “And I was going to some of these events and farmers were talking about walking their fields and pulling out males and drip tape. And it just did not equate to what I see as traditional production farming.”

While overall fiber and grain acreage in the Sunflower State is still relatively low, there is increasing interest among farmers.

Midwest Hemp Technology is one of several hemp processors in Kansas, including South Bend Industrial Hemp and Prairie Band Ag.

Stephens said the Kansas Department of Agriculture is supportive of the hemp program and she gets the sense that the state wants it to succeed, but the department’s hands are sometimes tied when it comes to regulations.

“But I see them advocating for rural changes and easing of restrictions and more commonsense approaches,” she said.

Midwest Hemp Technology

https://www.midwesthemptech.com/

"Harvest & Hemp on the Horizon"

4th Annual Kansas Hemp Conference Q4 Webinar

https://secure.touchnet.com/C21797_ustores/web/store_cat.jsp?STOREID=34&CATID=519&SINGLESTORE=true

News Nuggets

UN report on hemp marks path to an $18 billion global industry

https://hemptoday.net/un-report-on-hemp-marks-path-to-an-18-billion-global-industry/

UN Report on Hemp

https://unctad.org/webflyer/commodities-glance-special-issue-industrial-hemp

Update: SD Hemp Industry Is On The Grow