The Montana Hemp in the Built Environment Symposium brings together leaders across agriculture, materials, infrastructure, and design to explore how industrial hemp is shaping the future of the built environment.
Seats are limited and it’s free to attend. Register Here
Hosted by IND HEMP, this one-day, on-site symposium showcases the full value chain—from Montana-grown fiber to a diverse portfolio of bio-based solutions supporting buildings, infrastructure, landscapes, and active construction sites.
Set within a live demonstration environment, attendees will experience how hemp-derived materials integrate across applications—from structural and insulation components to erosion control, soil stabilization, and site management solutions—all designed to improve performance while reducing environmental impact.
Throughout the day, the program will move from upstream agriculture and processing, into carbon and certification frameworks (LEED, LCA), and into real-world application and deployment, culminating in outdoor product demonstrations and a guided site tour of installed systems and materials.
Attendees will gain insight into:
• Scalable, regional supply chains connecting agriculture to the built environment
• Carbon-smart materials and pathways toward certification and compliance
• Product readiness across construction, infrastructure, and land management use cases
• Design, engineering, and code considerations from leading practitioners
• Field-based demonstrations showcasing performance in real-world conditions
This event is part of a Montana Department of Commerce-supported agritourism initiative, designed to position industrial hemp as a driver of rural economic development, value-added manufacturing, and resilient infrastructure systems.
With AIA Continuing Education (CE) credits available, the symposium delivers both technical depth and practical exposure for architects, engineers, developers, contractors, and public agencies.
Join us in Belgrade, Montana, on October 8th to experience how hemp is redefining the built environment—from the ground up.
EVENT SCHEDULE
8:00 AM
- Check-in & Coffee
8:30 AM | WELCOME & INTRODUCTION
- Learn about our project, purpose, and goals for the day.
- Susan Joy, Dept. of Commerce
8:45 AM | MONTANA AGRICULTURE & PROCESSING
- Learn about hemp agriculture and processing in Fort Benton, Montana’s hemp hub.
- Morgan Tweet, CEO & Co-Founder, IND HEMP
9:15 AM | SUSTAINABILITY & CARBON
- Learn about lifecycle and carbon accounting from soil to end of life.
- Rusty Peterson, Carbon Expert, IND HEMP
9:45 AM
- Networking & Coffee Break
10:00 AM | SEED TO SKYLINE: GROWING REGENERATIVE CONSTRUCTION
- Receive an AIA CE credit while learning about healthier indoor environments and carbon storage.
- Kirby Hancock, High Plains Architecture
10:45 AM | NATURAL BUILDING BENEFITS & CONSIDERATIONS
- The panel will discuss using commercially available hemp products in construction projects.
- Panelists: MSU, Thruline Partners, Obermeyer Architecture
11:30 AM | ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING Q&A
12:00 PM
- Break for Lunch
- Enjoy a healthy hemp meal!
- From the kitchen of Chef Eduardo Garcia
1:15 PM | THE HEMP SYSTEMS SITE TOUR
- Tour our Outdoor Demonstration Area, and hear from vendors on using hemp in buildings.
- Various suppliers and installers
3:30 PM
- Networking & Coffee Break
3:45 PM | HEMP IN EROSION/SEDIMENT CONTROL & RESTORATION
- Experts will discuss novel uses of hemp in civil and remediation applications.
- Big Hole Water Committee, Winnett ACES, 2M Global Net
4:45 PM | CLOSING REMARKS
- Key takeaways and hopes for the future.
- Ken Elliott, Co-Founder, IND HEMP
5:00 PM | RIBBON CUTTING
5:45–6:00 PM | RECEPTION
- Mingle with your fellow attendees and enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
We want to highlight our amazing partners and vendors!:
- 2M GlobalBig
- Big Hole Watershed
- WinnettACES
- ECB|Verdyol
- RenewaBuild
- Bison Biocomposites
- Hempitecture
- Homeland Hempcrete
- Hempwood
- Thruline Partners
- MSU – Architecture
- High Plains Architecure
- New Age Artisans
- OSU