The Northern Plains could be a hotbed for new hemp fiber derivatives.  As noted in yesterday’s Hemp Bulletin from the Northern Hemp Summit, initial fiber market activity will feature hurd, the woody core that makes up the bulk of hemp stalks.  Animal bedding is the most liquid market to date, but construction could generate substantial demand. 

Even though hurd applications are lower hanging fruit compared to the technical complexities of bast fiber for woven applications – or even non-woven ones – there is still work to do in standardizing hurd for specific applications.  Dust-free material is a universal requirement for animal bedding and hemp-lime construction, but properties of micronized hurd for biocomposites for instance, not so much.  There’s a lot to learn.  

Ken Elliott, president of