Galloway, N.J. - Stockton University’s Cannabis & Hemp Research Initiative (CHRIS) will host a free panel discussion on “The Status of the Hemp Program in New Jersey” from 12-1 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 1 via Zoom.

The panel will be moderated by Rob Mejia, Stockton University adjunct professor of Cannabis Studies. Panelists are: Wayne Prindle, Hemp Program Manager, State of NJ, Dept. of Agriculture; Ken VandeVrede, CEO of HillviewMed; and Michael Brown, Partner, Eternel Hemp

The New Jersey Hemp Farming Act was enacted in August 2019. This new legislation complies with the 2018 Farm Bill, which authorized hemp producers to grow and sell hemp for commercial purposes. On December 27, 2019, New Jersey was among the first three states to have its Hemp Program approved by the USDA.

The panel will discuss the following topics and take questions from participants on:

• the (brief) history of the NJ hemp program
• a comparison of numbers from 2020 and 2021; how many cultivators applied and how many acres were planted
• cultivation lessons learned, trends, and resources for potential hemp cultivators
• hemp processing and final products such as CBD oil, infused beverages and Delta 8
• hopes for the future of the program

The panel is part of the Cannabis & Hemp Research Initiative mission to provide cannabis education to the community.

Register for the panel at: stockton.edu/cannabis-hemp-research-initiative/