VANDALIA — The Cass County Conservation District and the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program will host an industrial hemp educational and question and answer session from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Green Family Pond, 16860 Gunther St., Vandalia.

The event is a result of Cass County community members’ growing interest in exploring industrial hemp production and aims to provide interested growers with the knowledge and resources needed to begin production, said MAEAP staff.

The workshop will feature two speakers and a short panel discussion with growers. Eric Anderson, field crops educator at Michigan State Extension, and Jeremy Dybdahl, owner and CEO of B.C. Hemp Co. LLC. will speak on topics including the history, laws, agronomy, uses and economics of industrial hemp.

Now is an exciting time to be exploring hemp production options, said MAEAP staff. It is critical to have as much information as possible. They encouraged prospective attendees to come with questions for the panel discussion.   

Throughout the program will be snacks and desert, provided by the Green family.

To reserve a space and for directions, staff said to call Erez Brandvain, the Cass County MAEAP technician, at (269) 228-7084 or email him at Erez.Brandvain@macd.org.