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Symposium Program

Day One – January 11, 2024

Breakfast / Registration:  8:30 AM – 9:00 AM  

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Welcome Remarks:  9:00 AM – 9:25 AM

  • Connie Pascal – Symposium Co-Chair – Rutgers Hemp Program; School of Communication & Information (SC&I) and introduction to member of the Rutgers Hemp Program & the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS)
  • Brian Schilling – Director – Rutgers Cooperative Extension NJ Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES)
  • John Kerr – Hemp Program Manager – NJ Department of Agriculture (NJDA)

 Morning Keynote:   9:30 AM – 9:55 AM

  • Joy Beckerman – Founder / Principal of Hemp Ace International – “The promise of hemp and how we’ll get there from here!”

Session One: 10:00 AM – 10:55 AM: Economics of Growing Hemp for Fiber

Session Chair:  Stephen Komar – Rutgers Cooperative Extension / NJAES

Discussion on the economics, trading, and commodity aspects of hemp for fiber.

  • Rachel Berry – Chief Executive Officer – Illinois Hemp Growers Association
  • Tyler Mark – Associate Professor of Production Economics – University of Kentucky

 

Break: 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Session Two: 11:15 AM – 12:45 PM: Agronomy of Hemp for Fiber

Session Chair:  Stephen Komar – Rutgers Cooperative Extension / NJAES

Discussion of the best agronomic practices for fiber hemp cultivation and how / why farmers should embrace the crop.

  • Andrew Bish – Chief Operating Officer – Bish Enterprises; Cofounder of Hemp Harvest Works
  • Alyssa Collins – Associate Professor – PennState Extension
  • Mike Rassweiler – Founder – North Slope Organic Farm; President of Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA)

 

 Lunch: 12:45 PM – 1:40 PM

Session Three: 1:45 PM – 3:00 PM: Integrated Pest Management

Session Chair: C. Andrew Wyenandt – Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology – SEBS

Discussion on effective integrated pest management strategies in hemp fiber cultivation.

  • Alyssa Collins – Associate Professor – PennState Extension
  • Katharine Jaworski – Researcher – Integrated Pest Management for Hemp
  • Anthony Sorantino – Founder – Twin Bridges Hemp

 Break: 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM

Session Four: 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM: Hemp for Fiber Research Trial Results

Session Chair: James Simon – Distinguished Professor – Plant Biology – SEBS

Present findings and results from hemp fiber field trials and fiber quality testing from Rutgers/ Stockton Collaboration.

  • Stephen Komar – County Agent II / Department Head – Rutgers Cooperative Extension / NJAES
  • John McLaughlin – Assistant Research Professor – School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
  • Ekaterina Sedia – Professor – School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Stockton University
  • Michael Scannell – Chief Operating Officer – 420 Organics LLC

Special Announcement:  4:30 – 4:45 PM: Opportunities for Hemp Farmers

  • Gabi Grunstein – County Executive Director for Monmouth, Mercer and Middlesex Counties – Farm Service Agency for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Session Five:  Knowledge Café: 4:45 PM – 6:00 PM:  Networking Reception

Session Chair:  Connie Pascal – Rutgers SC&I / Joy Beckerman – Hemp Ace International 

Experts sit at separate tables, indicating their topics of discussion. Attendees join the table of their choice, converse, and rotate after three 15-minute rounds all while dining on delicious appetizers and refreshing beverages).

  • 4:45 – 5:45 PM:  Knowledge Café – see who the experts are on back page
  • 5:45 – 6:00 PM:  Closing Comments – Preview of Day Two

 

Day Two – January 12, 2024

Breakfast and Registration:  8:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Session Six: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM:  Hemp – Weaving Its Way into the Supply Chain

Session Chair:  Connie Pascal – SC&I

Longtime hemp experts set the stage for our focus on post-harvest processing and how hemp products are working their way into the supply chain as well as touch on the international market for hemp fiber.

  • Joy Beckerman – Principal – Hemp Ace International
  • Morris Beegle – President – We Are For Better Alternatives (WAFBA)

Session Seven:  9:30 AM – 11:00 PM: Decortication, Processing, and Quality

Session Chair: Tom Gianfagna – Professor of Plant Biology – SEBS

Discussion about establishing post harvesting facilities and processing hemp for different types of products and standards of quality

  • Morris Beegle – President – We Are for Better Alternatives (WAFBA)
  • Alex Escher – Founder – Hemp Hollow Processing and hemp committee for ASTM
  • Cameron McIntosh – Founder of Americhanvre Cast Hemp / Director of PA Hemp Industry Council

Break:  11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Session Eight:  11:15 AM – 12:45 PM:  Manufacturing Products with Hemp Fiber

Session Chair: John McLaughlin – Assistant Research Professor – SEBS

Discussion exploring how innovators are incorporating hemp fiber-based materials into diverse products for the construction and packaging industries.

  • Cameron McIntosh – Founder – Americhanvre Cast Hemp, Director of PA Hemp Industry Council
  • Guido Schmitz – General Manager at PAPACKS; Adjunct – Rutgers School of Engineering
  • Michael Marchuk – Chairman of Board – Ukrainian Hemp; Managing Partner at PAPACKS

Lunch:  12:45 PM – 2:00 PM

Closing Remarks 

Lunch, concluding remarks, attendee networking, and potential discussions for future event