• by Sara Guaglione , November 25, 2019

GIE Media has launched a hemp-focused magazine targeting farmers.

Hemp Grower, GIE’s 18th brand, will include a bimonthly magazine, a weekly enewsletter, social-media channels and a website.

On creating a print publication for Hemp Grower, Jim Gilbride, group publisher at GIE Media, told Publishers Daily: “Our decision to enter a given marketplace is not taken lightly, so when we make a commitment to that market, we want to deliver quality content on the platforms that business owners engage in.”

He continued, “While print is a significant investment, we know it is still very relevant and continues to be a very engaged platform.”

Hemp is legal in the U.S. 

Hemp Grower joins sister publications Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary at GIE Media. They are part of the company's Horticulture Group, a collection of media brands serving six markets.

“We’re at a critical moment in history for farmers, many of whom are making decisions that will impact their business for years and decades to come," Gilbride stated. 

The first issue of Hemp Growerwill be distributed to licensed hemp cultivators and cannabis business leaders throughout North America.

It includes features and articles from experts in the cannabis industry, including Marguerite Bolt, the hemp extension specialist at Purdue University’s School of Agronomy; Robert C. Clarke, author and hemp cultivation expert; and Virginia Lee, a consumer strategist and CBD manager at the Brightfield Group, among others.  

According to editorial director Noelle Skodzinski, Hemp Grower’s mission is to support licensed hemp cultivators by “providing actionable intelligence in all aspects of the business — from regulatory news to analysis of industry trends and business strategy, as well as expert advice on farming, extraction, marketing, financial topics, and legal issues.”

The feature cover story of the launch issue looks at Hemp Production Services, the largest Canadian-owned hemp wholesale supplier and national exporter of hemp food products to Asia. It notes how the company is exploring new growth opportunities in a shifting regulatory environment. 

Hemp Grower is available to North American hemp farmers for free and on select newsstands at a $5 cover price. The magazine brand is ad-supported.

Nicole Stempak is editor of Hemp Grower. She was previously editor of Physician’s Practice.

Eric Sandy, digital editor of Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and GIE Media's Cannabis Conference, oversees Hemp Grower’s digital content.

Scott Anthony, national sales manager for Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Cannabis Conference, leads sales and sponsorship campaigns for Hemp Grower.