Cannabis News

Industry internship program set to cultivate horticulture’s next generation

Published

7 months ago

October 29, 2025

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A new initiative to address the critical labor shortage in Australia’s horticulture sector was launched today.

The Horticulture Industry Internship Programme, launched by Hort Innovation in partnership with Western Sydney University, will provide industry-based training and hands-on experience to the University’s undergraduate and postgraduate students. The program aims to equip the next generation of horticulturists, agronomists, pathologists, entomologists and farm managers with the skills needed to contribute to the future of the industry.

Fellows will be drawn from Western Sydney University’s Bachelor of Science (Agricultural Sciences) and Master of Science (Agriculture, Agri-Horticulture) programs, including prospective students at the new India campus opening in 2026, helping to address skills gaps in Australia by integrating global talent into the local workforce. Through a robust framework of industry-funded and industry-based internships, these students will gain hands-on experience tailored to industry needs, boosting employability and supporting the availability of skilled workers in the sector.

Hort Innovation CEO Brett Fifield said the program represents a significant commitment to building capacity and supporting the future of Australian horticulture. “By investing in hands-on training and industry partnerships, we are ensuring our sector remains competitive and resilient, with a workforce ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

University of Western Sydney Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO said: “This program reflects our commitment to agriculture and horticulture education, research and industry engagement. It is about creating real-world opportunities for students and strengthening our links with industry.”

Commenting on the wider workforce challenges facing the sector, Tim Archibald, CEO of White Prince Produce, added: “One of the biggest challenges we face in the horticulture industry is attracting and retaining skilled people. That’s why initiatives like this are so exciting; they’re not just building a talent pool, they’re strengthening the future of our industry, they’re helping to directly supply our individual industry programs to meet the evolving needs of the sector.”

Each internship will be tailored to meet the specific training and staffing needs of the host companies, will be internships lasting between three and twelve months and is designed to support the transition of students to employment in the horticulture sector after graduation.

For more information:
Hort Innovation
Email: (email protected)
horticulture.com.au/

Related Topics:cultivate generation horticultures Industry internship Program Set

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Cannabis News

Custom Cones USA launches Cones Canada

Published

17 hours ago

May 21, 2026

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Custom Cones USA has announced the launch of Cones Canada, a wholly Canadian operation designed to meet the growing needs of Canadian pre-roll producers, processors and brands.

With a stocked warehouse in Ontario and a dedicated Canadian e-commerce platform, Cones Canada eliminates the complication that Canadian businesses have historically faced in sourcing pre-rolled cones: no import fees, no customs delays and no currency conversion headaches. Orders are billed in Canadian dollars (CAD) and shipped from Ontario to anywhere in Canada.

Why Cones Canada, why now?
The legal cannabis market in Canada continues to grow, and pre-rolls are a $1.4 billion market. In 2024, pre-rolls passed as the top category in the country, and retained their title in 2025 with 77.2 million units sold, again the highest of any category, according to cannabis analytics firm Headset.

Canadian growers and processors have long relied on Custom Cones USA’s reputation for quality. Its cones have been tested to Health Canada standards for flowers and are trusted by leading pre-roll manufacturers worldwide. However, cross-border orders came with additional cost, time and logistical complexity.

“We’ve been supplying Canadian cannabis brands for years, and the demand from our Canadian customers made this next step an easy decision,” said Harrison Bard, co-founder and CEO of Custom Cones USA. “With Cones Canada, we’re bringing the same products, the same quality standards, and the same expert support that our customers have always trusted. Only now we’re doing it without limits.”

Cones Canada’s Ontario facility carries four of the most popular pre-rolled cone sizes from the Custom Cones USA catalog, each in two types of European-sourced paper: Refined White and Natural Brown.

In addition to ready-to-ship bulk cones, Cones Canada offers access to Custom Cones USA’s machine, packaging and custom branding options, including full-color filter tip printing, cigar bands and outer wraps. and custom packaging, Canadian brands can build a distinctive, shelf-ready product line backed by Pre-Roll Experts.

For more information:
Cones Canada
conescanada.ca/

Cannabis News

TSA Clarifies That Its Marijuana Policy ‘Has Not Changed’ Despite Clickbait Headlines

Published

17 hours ago

May 21, 2026

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Over the past week, many news organizations have been running exaggerated headlines about a supposed change by the federal government to allow marijuana to be brought into airports and airplanes.

But it’s not true, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) tells Marihuana Momenti.

“TSA’s policy on medical marijuana has not changed,” a TSA spokeswoman said in an email Wednesday.

“According to the TSA website: If any illegal substance or evidence of criminal activity is found during the security screening, TSA will refer the matter to law enforcement,” they said.

While it’s true that the agency’s list of medical marijuana “What can I bring?” section of its website was updated on April 27, there were no major changes in policy.

Currently, the website says “Yes,” passengers can carry medical marijuana in both the cabin and checked bags, with special instructions.

But TSA Cannabis Policy Says “Yes” to Medical Marijuanawith the same caveats, since 2019.

both current The version of the page was updated last month and archived The version from seven years ago reads:

“TSA’s screening procedures are security-based and designed to detect potential threats to the aircraft and passengers. Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for illegal drugs, but if a security screening detects illegal substances or evidence of criminal activity, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”

The previous version also had this language regarding federally legal hemp products, but it has now been removed in the latest update:

“Under federal law, possession of certain marijuana and cannabis-infused products, including certain Cannabidiol (CBD) oils, is illegal. TSA officers must report any suspected violation of the law, including possession of certain marijuana and cannabis-infused products.

Products/medicines containing CBD derived from hemp or approved by the FDA are legal as long as they are produced within the regulations set forth by law under the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018.

Many news organizations that haven’t bothered to compare the current version of the TSA page to the previous one seem to think so The Trump administration’s move to federally regulate cannabis last month it caused the air travel safety agency to make a change in its policy, but that is not the case.

“Website updates occur periodically for clarity and accuracy,” said the TSA’s email to Marijuana Moment on Wednesday. “TSA policy remains the same. No changes have been made.”

Other agencies, meanwhile, have made cannabis policy changes consistent with federal rescheduling.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has published a Draft update to a gun purchase form to recognize the legal status of medical marijuana in the reprogramming. The revised section of the question states that only the “recreational use or possession of marijuana” is federally prohibited, omitting the prior form’s mention of medical cannabis.

The US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issued new tax guidelines for the marijuana industry after reprogramming. The reform will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions that are currently prohibited under IRS Code Section III, known as Section 280E.

Even the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which has long opposed the legalization of cannabis and accused the Biden administration of stalling the initiative in the reorganization process, has done so. It launched a registration process for legal marijuana businesses in the state to take advantage of the federal benefits that come with the reform.

The Department of Transport, however, clarified this last week Truck drivers, airline pilots and other federally regulated safety-sensitive workers still cannot use medical marijuana without being punished

The TSA, for its part, posted a marijuana-infused claim to celebrate National Brownie Day Back in 2020.

“We hear it’s National Brownie Day, so we’re here to talk about something really sticky-icky-icky (ooh wee),” the federal agency posted on its Instagram account. “Hopefully this isn’t posted near 4:20 because we’re going down.”

That high-flying introduction was followed by a sort of public service announcement, warning passengers not to bring cannabis through airports.

“Marijuana, humble or neat, is not dope in your cabin or checked bag,” the message reads, setting up a rhyming scheme and immediately dropping: “This includes cannabis products and CBD oil, which are illegal under federal law, except for products that contain no more than 0.3% THC or are approved @F dry weight.”

The hashtags included in the post include “#NationalBrownieDay,” “USAtraveling,” “#leaveitathome,” “#chronnic” (misspelled) and “#maryj.”

Image courtesy of Steve Fitzgerald.

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Cannabis News

Medical cannabis cultivation event set for June 8 in the Netherlands, ahead of GreenTech

Published

2 days ago

May 20, 2026

admin

On June 8, researchers, growers and technology providers from around the world will gather in the Netherlands for a day of presentations, facility tours and networking focused on the cultivation of medicinal cannabis, organized by the Dutch cannabis consortium Cultivation for Compounds and MCPIR.

The event takes place across two locations. The morning program takes place at the MCPIR in Bleiswijk, where Jaime Ahumada and René Corsten, cannabis researchers and consultants at Delphy, will present their latest findings on mother plant management, clear strategy and upcoming research plans at the Delphy Improvement Center, including opportunities for growers to actively participate in ongoing research and knowledge development. Attendees can also take a tour of the cannabis cells.

In the afternoon he will visit the World Horti Center in Naaldwijk with presentations from Mexx Holweg, Dutch Light Innovations and Cultivation for Compounds, followed by a visit to Vertify.

MMJDaily covered last year’s event on the ground. Check out our photo report to see the research sites and the community gathered there.

For more information:
MCPIR
www.mcpir.nl
worldhorticenter.nl/eu/themes/cultivation-for-compounds/