Category: Thought Leadership

Bugs, biology, biodiversity: Industrial Hemp Production (Part II) on Integrated Pest Management and Implications for Wildlife

Bugs, biology, biodiversity: Industrial Hemp Production (Part II) on Integrated Pest Management and Implications for Wildlife

November 10, 2020 |

By Susan P. Rupp, PhD, Lee Enterprises Consulting Special to The Digest Because of the challenges of registering it as an agricultural crop, federal agencies have not yet provided clear direction on the use of agrochemicals (i.e., herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides) on hemp, and regulatory decisions have subsequently devolved to the states.  However, the majority […]

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Industrial Hemp Production (Part I): Cultivation and Management

Industrial Hemp Production (Part I): Cultivation and Management

November 2, 2020 |

By Susan P. Rupp, PhD, Lee Enterprises Consulting Special to The Digest The production of industrial hemp, grown for fiber, seed, and cannabidiol (CBD), has surged in recent years.  More recently, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) authorized the production of hemp and removed hemp and hemp seeds from the Drug Enforcement […]

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Overview of 2020 Cannabis Ballot Measures: Potential to Add 21 Million as Legal Consumers in the U.S.

Overview of 2020 Cannabis Ballot Measures: Potential to Add 21 Million as Legal Consumers in the U.S.

October 25, 2020 |

By Martin Wahl, Vice President, Lee Enterprises Consulting Special to The Digest This is the first in a series of articles being prepared by Lee Enterprises Consulting experts addressing opportunities and concerns for the growing hemp and cannabis industries. Topics will include cultivation, feedstock management, project financing, offtake agreement processing and product development with a […]

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The Need for State and Local Initiative

The Need for State and Local Initiative

October 20, 2020 |

American citizens are rich. They own governments that are “of the people, by the people and for the people”. Through them as trustee, citizens own land, water, and air as well as public infrastructure such as transportation, water and energy management assets and land parcels with improvements. Arguably, they even have an earned interest in […]

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What Ag Needs: Accelerating Technology to Secure The Future

What Ag Needs: Accelerating Technology to Secure The Future

October 19, 2020 |

By Jim Collins, CEO, Corteva Agriscience Special to The Digest Adapted with permission from two of Jim’s most recent articles, here and here. Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in an engaging and thought-provoking discussion at the World Food Prize, titled “Investment Innovations for Food System Transformations.” One of the questions posed to the […]

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New feedstock options and trends boost biodiesel production

New feedstock options and trends boost biodiesel production

October 13, 2020 |

By Brian Levine, Executive Vice President, Greasezilla Special to The Digest In the United States, efforts to replace fossil fuels with biofuels are gaining momentum, supported by growing public awareness, government programs and emerging waste-to-fuel technologies. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) analysis of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) projected that several types of biofuels, such […]

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Is there money for renewable fuels? Latest perspectives on financing renewable fuel projects

Is there money for renewable fuels? Latest perspectives on financing renewable fuel projects

October 12, 2020 |

By Mike Newman, Chief Operating Officer, Parhelion Underwriting Inc. Special to The Digest Connecting people from renewable fuels companies with projects they want to finance to the people who can finance them was a key goal for Parhelion Underwriting’s recent virtual roundtable. The finance panel included Justin Goldstein from Goldman Sachs, John May from Hamilton […]

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25 Years in the Bioeconomy: A Journey Still Exciting, An Adventure Still Rewarding

25 Years in the Bioeconomy: A Journey Still Exciting, An Adventure Still Rewarding

October 5, 2020 |

by Wayne Lee, CEO, Lee Enterprises Consulting Editor’s note to readers: Lee Enterprises Consulting celebrates its 25th anniversary on October 4th — having grown from a boutique biodiesel consulting firm to the world’s largest bioeconomy consulting collective.  Today, the bioeconomy is a worldwide business encompassing fuels, advanced agriculture, renewable chemicals, vegan foods, nutraceuticals, cannabis, and lots […]

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European Climate Policy and the Bioeconomy – Missed Opportunities or Muddling Through?

European Climate Policy and the Bioeconomy – Missed Opportunities or Muddling Through?

September 29, 2020 |

Between politics and pandemic one could be forgiven for not closely following Europe’s bioeconomy. But as we scan the globe for bio-economy green shoots, we are noticing some interesting – and disconcerting – activity “across the pond”. Today we look to Europe and try to pluck the signal from the noise in Brussels amid promising […]

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Paths to a capped carbon economy: 6 ways we can really make a change

Paths to a capped carbon economy: 6 ways we can really make a change

September 22, 2020 |

By Russ Freeman, PE Retired Special to the Digest Through publications and Webinars, The Digest has done a remarkable job of keeping interested parties informed about the global impacts of a fossil-based once-through society and growing efforts to transform it. From the substantial body of information presented and a big-picture viewpoint, it is clear we […]

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