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January 2024 Meeting Minutes

Gabriella Fioravanti
Oct 21, 20245 min read
 

PA Dept of Agriculture Update – Sarah Pickel

  • 2023 Season Summary

    • More than 290 acres planted, up from 156 acres in 2022

  • USDA harvested acres reported approximately 58% of planted acres year over year (170 acres in 2023 and 90 acres in 2022)

    • Permitted growers 215; permitted processors 52

  • 2024 permit application process opened in October 2023

  • New program update

 

PA Hemp Engine Update – Paul Hallacher

  • Vytal Plant Sciences Research is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase I Engine “awardee”; Tom Trite, CEO of VPSR is the Principal Investigator. Penn State Harrisburg is the primary sub-awardee; Dr. Sairam Rudrabhatla is the primary contact.

  • NSF Regional Innovation Engines Program is a major new thrust, congressionally mandated, to move NSF more toward commercialization and economic impact; leveraging science for regional economic development. The program was launched two years ago and has issued two annual RFPs to-date. Funding seed grants first, which provide a foundation to compete for large operational grants (Phase II). Forty-three $1 million Phase I seed grants have been awarded to-date. Operational grants are typically $15 million a year for five years with an opportunity to renew.

  • Pennsylvania Industrial Hemp Engine (PAIHE) received $ 1million of which 20% goes to Vytal to run the project, $300k goes to Penn State for faculty to address seed/genetic and plant science research through industrial end user product development research and development. $500k is unobligated to support consultants and work to prepare a Phase II proposal.

    • PAIHE mission is to create a leadership ecosystem, in the I81 corridor of PA, for a national and international headquarters of innovation for industrial hemp.

  • Three primary activities:

    • Industrial hemp production and processing

      • Scope includes genetic research to technical assistance/support to farmers to processing challenges e.g. harvesting, decortication. Vision is to perform experimentation with these processing approaches and support a series of pilot scale processing facilities around/in the I81 corridor. Facilities would be shared user facilities, $500k each to include technical staff to operate and technical assistance to farmers, funding to buy crop, process and experiment with processing technology with sale to end users.

    • End user product Research and Development (R&D)

      • Industry sectors include energy, biofuels, building and construction, automobile, paper, plastic, composite, textiles etc. Must engage the end user industrial and consumer product manufacturers. Leveraging Penn State University industrial outreach capabilities, Ben Franklin Investment’s Ken Okrepkie is leading this body of work to reach out to R&D managers at major industrial firms to generate interest.

      • Envision a significant amount of Phase II funds to be held in reserve and awarded competitively to support product development (co-funded).

      • Phase I RFP to be issued in the near future for co-funding small scale projects for end user product development (part of the $500k noted above). Awards would range between $10k-$30k with match requirement for applicants that make or want to make a product noting the market potential, R&D required etc.

    • Regional and Community Development

      • Looking for regional collaborators especially in underrepresented minority groups, disadvantaged communities. Setting an advisory board, economic and community and workforce development organizations are fully engaged in the Engine.

      • STEM education to address workforce shortages in the I81 corridor to include the agriculture, logistics and manufacturing sectors.

    • Not exclusive to I81 corridor, the goal is to stimulate demand for processed industrial hemp. If there are companies anywhere that want to work on incorporating industrial hemp into major product lines, the Engine will support.

 

PA Hemp Industry Council Update – Erica Stark

  • Launched material as part of the Invest in PA, PA Department of Agriculture Promotional Hemp Grant. See https://www.pahic.org/invest-in-pa-hemp/. Social media posts as well. Material includes videos, content and financial models for public use covering construction, textiles, grain and overall processing. An easy-to-use pitch deck template is available to assist you in being “investment ready”. Currently launching a second phase of the grant work which is more public facing. An educational campaign to include cannabinoid product education.

  • National Biobased Products Day

    • Annual celebration on March 8 to raise awareness of the benefits of biobased products. The day recognizes the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to use the vast array of federal resources to combat climate change and help rural communities address its impacts.

    • PAHIC is looking to get that declared in PA as well which includes the agriculture bio-economy in general as well as hemp.

 

Pennsylvania Fibershed Introduction – Leslie Davidson and Rachel Higgins

 

Discussion of Survey Questions

  • Ben Nkapbela, Jefferson University graduate student is looking for contaminated hemp or used biomass to extract heavy metals, separate ethanol and create biodiesel. Please reach out Ben (bbn004@students.jefferson.edu).

  • Sarah Mitchell, Kings AgriSeeds is looking for a farmer who can produce certified hemp seed that will be used for planting in 2025. The variety has been bred by Cornell University for Northeast and Mid-Atlantic growing conditions with a strong fiber/hurd performance profile. Seed Certification elevates the level of trust that this variety will be true to type and THC compliant. The hemp will be under contract. If you're interested or want more information, please contact Sarah Mitchell at King's AgriSeeds SMitchell@KingsAgriSeeds.com. Mobile: 717-327-6188

  • What funding opportunities are available to new entrants to hemp fiber cultivation and processing available from state, regional, and local governmental entities? Is someone collecting them for public distribution?

  • Is there a list of PA legislators at state and federal levels that can be shared?

    • Erica Stark has a federal delegation list (senate and congress) available; there is also a tool on the National Hemp Association website https://nationalhempassociation.org/ for your use. Erica will develop the PA state information and make all available on the PAHIC and Steer websites.

    • Reuben Riehl offered insight that PA State Representative Dave Zimmerman has been very supportive.

  • What are the responsibilities and options for hemp farming in Pennsylvania for landowners? Are land leases an option and what are the legal requirements for landowners if that is an option? What are the soil chemical specification requirements

    • https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/hemp/Pages/Permits.aspx

    • Land may be leased, see PDA Program page with application instruction document. PDA requires an agreement between the land owner and permit holder to ensure PDA has access to the property. No requirement to have a lawyer on retainer, however the PDA recommends you check with your lawyer on all legal matters.

    • PDA does not have soil testing requirements.

    • One party must report to data to FSA.

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