Finnish cleantech company NPHarvest has launched a pilot plant at Biogas Westerbakum GmbH & Co. KG in Lower Saxony, Germany, marking its entry into Europe’s largest biogas market. The demonstration unit will operate for 4 months and is designed to continuously process around 20 cubic meters per day of liquid digestate – the nutrient-rich by-product left after biogas production – and recover around 26 tonnes per year. The project allows operators to extract useful nutrients directly from side streams, turning digestate from a management cost into a commercial resource. As Germany tightens nutrient regulations under EU nitrate limits, the installation shows how biogas facilities can boost compliance while improving asset productivity.

The demo unit began operation on March 10, and was monitored through online data and routine laboratory analysis during the first month of operation. Initial results have also been cross-checked with an external laboratory in Oldenburg, showing results from external measurements consistent with NPHarvest’s internal analysis.

Under the EU’s Nitrates Directive, nitrogen application in vulnerable areas is limited to 170kg per hectare per year, and Germany has introduced stricter fertilizer regulations to reduce nutrient excesses and nitrate levels in groundwater. In a country with more than 9,700 biogas plants in operation, the sector is increasingly constrained by digestate expansion limits and rising transport costs, reshaping the economics of nutrient management. At the same time, the fertilizer market remains volatile, creating demand for locally produced nutrients. By recovering nitrogen and phosphorus directly from biogas side streams, NPHarvest allows operators to reduce excess while creating a salable product that would otherwise be a compliance burden.

“Biogas plants were designed to produce renewable energy, but they also create nutrient streams of high untapped value,” said Dr. Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen, CEO of NPHarvest. “We see nutrient recovery as a structural breakthrough for the sector, enabling operators to improve asset productivity without expanding their physical footprint. Germany sets the benchmark for biogas operations in Europe, and by integrating nutrient recovery into existing infrastructure, it has the opportunity to lead the next phase of the industry, where energy production and resource efficiency go hand in hand.”

© NPHarvest

Unlike many conventional nutrient recovery systems, which require energy-intensive unloading or long-distance transport, NPHarvest’s membrane-based process recovers nitrogen and phosphorus with low operational energy and simplified dosing, allowing for modular integration into existing biogas infrastructure. NPHarvest’s technology is capable of capturing up to 90% of nitrogen and phosphorus from liquid waste streams and converting them into key inputs for fertilizer production, including ammonium sulfate and calcium phosphate. During the first weeks of operation, the unit operated reliably under real digestate conditions, supporting the case for integration into existing biogas infrastructure. The system is offered as a plug-in to the existing infrastructure, without affecting the operation of the plant.

The German pilot is based on the company’s industrial-scale demonstration at a biogas plant in Ankara, Turkey, where the system validated its performance in a commercial operational environment.

Founded as a spinout of Aalto University, NPHarvest has secured €2.2 million in pre-funding from internal investors Nordic Foodtech VC and the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, and has recently been selected for an additional €1.2 million in support as part of Business Finland’s Deep Tech Accelerator program. In addition to the industrial-scale demonstration in Ankara, the company has validated its technology through field trials at the University of Helsinki’s Viikki research farm, where recovered nitrogen and phosphorus were compared to conventional synthetic fertilizers. Building on these milestones, NPHarvest is expanding into key European biogas markets, where regulatory pressure and cost of nutrient transport are accelerating demand for localized nutrient recovery solutions.

“The level of interest in this facility has been very encouraging. We have already seen a great deal of participation from operators and other industry players who see nutrient recovery as a practical answer to a growing challenge in the biogas sector,” said Milan Hofmann, managing director of Varea Water, NPHarvest’s regional project developer in Central Europe and the UK. “Plants are under increasing pressure to manage digestate more efficiently, and there is clearly a demand for solutions that can turn this burden into a useful product with economic value.”

“Greenhouse growers are particularly exposed to fertilizer cost and supply pressures, so the ability to recover nutrients locally is a very interesting development. Although this pilot is focused on biogas side streams, the broader implication is that a more circular and resilient input model of recovered nitrogen and phosphorus can also be applied to horticulture,” concludes Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen.

For more information:
NPHarvest
Email: (email protected)
npharvest.fi/

Village Farms opened its new cannabis facility this morning in Groningen, the Netherlands, a building designed from the ground up around the crop, with an aroma system so precisely calibrated, the surrounding businesses could stand next to a tomato grower.

Dutch roots run deeper than the board members’ accents might suggest. The company’s relationship with the Netherlands goes back many years, and the Groningen location is an extension of the work begun in Drachten, where Village Farms began farming last year using practices carried over from its Canadian operations. The new facility is where that learning is applied at scale.

“Nearly four decades ago, we started bringing Dutch technology to North America. We’ve always worked with Dutch partners, and many of our producers and engineers are Dutch or have Dutch heritage. It’s like coming home.”

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

Village Farms entered the Dutch market through its majority-owned subsidiary Leli Holland, which holds one of ten licenses granted by the Dutch government to legally produce recreational cannabis and distribute it to participating cafes.

Once fully ramped up, Village Farms anticipates a production capacity of around 10 tonnes in the Netherlands, enough to quintuple its production for the Dutch cannabis trial and position the company for wider access to the European market. Orville Bovenschen, President of Canadian Cannabis and Leli Holland and Mike DeGiglio, CEO and founder, highlighted their confidence in the Dutch market, as well as growing in Europe. “We believe in the power of cannabis.”

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

Village Farms started its Dutch farming operations in the nearby town of Drachten last year, using farming practices developed through its Canadian experience to set up the facility. The new Groningen location represents a continuation and improvement of this established direction, with the building completely designed around the cultivation requirements. Special attention was paid to the odor control system, ensuring that nearby businesses could be located next to a tomato plant.

The opening featured an artwork by local artist Ben that reflects the company’s history: strong roots in vegetables and a future in cannabis.

More technical details to follow on Monday!

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

White House officials are commenting on pending legislation to create a regulatory framework for hemp amid a flurry of lawmakers’ proposals on the issue, including a new amendment slated for November to speed up the recriminalization of hemp-derived THC products.

On Tuesday, Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and James Braid, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, sent suggestions on hemp policy to Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who is helping lead efforts to establish regulations for the plant as an alternative to prohibition.

“We appreciate your work to advance policy” in an executive order President Donald Trump signed in December that included provisions to protect Americans’ access to CBD products, the staff wrote in a letter to the congressman.

“We are submitting draft legislation and comments to your account to address the final statutory definition of hemp-derived cannabinoid products to ensure that Americans have access to adequate full-spectrum CBD products while maintaining Congress’ intent to limit the sale of products that pose serious health risks,” White House officials said, according to a social media screencast. “We are open to discussion and further technical assistance.”

An attachment to the administration’s proposed legislative text was not included in the message, and the White House and Barr’s office did not immediately respond to Marihuana Moment’s request for more details.

Barr introduced a hemp amendment to the pending Farm Bill this weekbut later withdrew for reasons he did not announce.

It’s not clear from the text of the letter whether the White House was proactively sending legislative proposals to the lawmaker or whether they were responding to something sent by his office, though two cannabis industry sources suggested to Marihuana Moment that Barr was sending the language to the administration, and then providing technical feedback.

Barr’s now-withdrawn amendment, according to the sponsor’s summary, “changes the definition of hemp to protect the legal hemp market by creating a regulatory framework that protects children, bans synthetics, and ensures that products on the market are of American origin.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) also introduced a new Farm Bill amendment to take effect on November 12 that she said “accelerates the implementation of the hemp reduction provisions.”

Instead, under his proposal, the ban would go into effect the day the new Farm Bill takes effect — though it’s unclear when that will be based on current progress in Congress, and the legislation could not be passed until after the current recriminalization date, making the change controversial.

Hemp derivatives containing less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by drug weight were made federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill signed by Trump during his first term. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp so that only products with a total of 0.4 milligrams of THC per container will be legal starting November 12th.

Trump this week It inspired lawmakers in Congress to take action to change the currently planned hemp banand suggested that this threatens to federally recriminalize full-spectrum CBD products.

“I’m calling on Congress to update the Act so Americans can continue to have access to the full-spectrum CBD products they trust and support, while maintaining Congress’ intent to restrict the sale of products that pose health risks,” the president said in a Truth Social message Thursday, the same day his administration announced it is moving forward to re-regulate marijuana.

“We need to do this RIGHT and FAST, especially for those who have found CBD to help them,” he said. “Also, I’m told it will help our BIG FARMERS that we love and will always be around.”

Barr echoed the president’s comments, saying in his message that he is “working in Congress to pass these critical reforms so farmers can have certainty and Americans continue to have access to safe and reliable hemp-derived products.”

An additional Farm Bill amendment by Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Kelly Morrison (D-MN) would push back the federal recriminalization of THC hemp products for another year.

Amendments to the Farm Bill, known as the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, or HR 7567, will be considered by the Rules Committee next week. That panel will decide whether or not the proposals can receive votes on the House floor.

Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) had it introduced the hemp ban delay amendment before the House Agriculture Committee when it took up the Farm Bill last month, but the president of that panel determined that the proposal was not in line with the legislation.

The Farm Bill passed by the previous committee includes provisions to help the hemp industry and farmers who grow cannabis for industrial purposes, such as fiber and grain. For example, the legislation would amend statutes related to states and tribes developing regulatory plans for industrial hemp production, including policies on testing, sampling, background checks and record keeping.

Other bipartisan hemp reform bills are pending in Congress.

Last week, for example, it was introduced by Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). The Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would give states the option of federal recriminalization of THC hemp products. it will be established this year.

Ernst on Wednesday, however, withdrew his name as a sponsor of the legislation. His office did not respond to Marihuana Moment’s request for clarification on the move.

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The US Department of Agriculture published this month shows that US farmers grow $3 billion in hemp crops by 2025— 64% increase compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, this month the Trump administration launched a new initiative Cover up to $500 of hemp-derived products annually for eligible Medicare patients. The program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses largely on CBD, but also allows a certain amount of THC in products.

Anti-marijuana organizations filed a lawsuit against the Medicare hemp coverage policyand Health and Human Services attorneys. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Director Mehmet Oz recently He submitted a letter requesting the filing of the case.

Meanwhile, the White House Management and Budget Office has held a series of meetings a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CBD product enforcement policy.

The FDA also issued guidance making it clear that it does not intend to interfere Establish a Medicare coverage plan for hemp-derived products.

CMS finalized a rule that will be adopted separately Coverage of certain hemp products, primarily as specialized health-related benefits, through Medicare Advantage the plans

As hemp products become more popular among consumers, some big brands are trying to get in on the action.

The main retailer Target, for example, is expanding its market share of hemp-derived THC beverages. Last year, the company began a pilot program selling cannabis beverages at 10 stores in Minnesota. That apparently went well, and now the company has secured licenses from Minnesota regulators to sell lower-potency edible hemp products — including THC drinks — in 72 stores in the state.