WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Cornell University today announced the launch of a webinar series on hemp research that aims to broaden the scope of training, education, and connectivity within the hemp community.

"ARS solves agricultural challenges that affect all Americans,” said Zachary Stansell, USDA-ARS geneticist and acting hemp curator. “Hemp is rapidly emerging as a critical multi-use and economically significant crop, so this hemp seminar series is designed to increase the diversity, equity, and inclusivity of ARS' mission while providing hemp-specific education, training, and networking opportunities to historically underserved communities.”

The research team believes that by broadening the scope of training, education, and connectivity within the developing hemp community, they can create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for new hemp and empower hemp research by bringing diverse voices into the larger conversation.

“Training and educating new scientists from many different backgrounds is critical in order to achieve the most cutting-edge solutions to an array of issues producers face — from climate change to economic viability,” said Cornell University Crop Specialist Daniela Vergara.

Lectures will be given by various hemp research experts from academia, research laboratories, production facilities, and private industry:

• Jan. 26 - Outdoor Cultivation: Jeff Kostuik

• Feb. 9 - Indoor Cultivation: Dr. Bruce Bugbee

• Feb. 23 - Hemp Processing Systems: Dr. Heather Grab

• March 9 - Extraction Chemistry/Facility Design: Alisia Ratliff

• March 23 - The Endocannabinoid System: Ethan Russo M.D

• April 6 - Hemp Food Science: Hunter Friedland

• April 20 - Hemp Diversity/Genetics: Dr. Daniela Vergara

• May 4 - Economics of Hemp Production: Dr. Tyler Mark

Starting Jan. 26, the webinars will occur every other Wednesday from 2 pm – 3 pm EST and include an interactive Q&A session. Registration is required.

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $17 of economic impact.

As New York’s Land Grant University, Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Science (CALS), supports the development of New York state’s $2 billion hemp industries through research and extension focused on the development of new hemp cultivars, crop health, productivity, quality, and economic viability. CALS is committed to driving successful results for producers across the United States as well through partnerships, collaborative research education and outreach.

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CONTACT: Autumn Canaday USDA-Agricultural Research Service (202) 669-5480 Autumn.Canaday@usda.gov