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Advancement Takes Involvement

The National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC) has been busy throughout the year planning for our annual meeting. We are also forging ahead with our long-term strategies that aim to put hemp farmers and those doing business in the hemp industry in a better position to be successful. Additionally, we are working to remove barriers for those seeking to enter the market.

We have so much to share, and these snippets that you read about in our weekly newsletter are the tip of the iceberg of the great work that NIHC is doing.

At our annual meeting in Washington, D.C. on November 14-16, you’ll hear in more detail from thought leaders in the hemp industry – some of whom are your colleagues in membership with NIHC – about the exciting initiatives we have planned for the rest of 2021 and into 2022. Whether you’re interested in our state, federal or international work, promoting the brand of hemp, learning the ins and outs of hemp financing, promoting consumer safety or just entering the industry, there is plenty to learn at NIHC’s 2021 Hemp Business Summit.

If you’re interested specifically in policy, you’ll receive a detailed update on policy from our government affairs committee. If you’re interested in learning more about how to better promote the brand of hemp, you’ll want to hear about how you can become involved and help lead the effort to form a hemp checkoff program task-force. If you are interested in learning about the financial sector, you will learn more on this, as well.

In fact, recently, there was a memo circulated from the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) that gives lending guidance to financial institutions dealing with hemp. The memo created some questions and potentially provides opportunities. That’s why we’re particularly excited about the panel discussion shaping up on hemp financing. You’ll hear from the CEO of the largest farm credit association and a panel of lending experts that can answer your questions as you navigate the regulatory challenges of financing your farm and hemp business

If you’re on the consumer facing side of hemp, we will be announcing some big “breaking news” for the hemp industry that we believe will boost consumer confidence and help set the standard for consumer safety by making it easier to sell your products either at your brick-and-mortar location or online platform.

We will also be sharing exciting progress about our international program and our partnership with USDA as a government cooperator. The efforts by NIHC on the international front aren’t just an opportunity to expand your customer base and open markets overseas, but they’re a chance to provide your input on how to reduce non-tariff trade barriers and make it easier for U.S. farmers to access these international markets.

You’ll want to be to here in D.C. for all of these exciting developments, as well as spending time meeting and networking with fellow NIHC members.

As the event inches closer and the agenda grows even more robust, you’ll want to keep an eye on your inbox for updates. After over a year without in-person meetings, we’re so excited and we can’t wait to see you in person.

To conclude, when we last published our newsletter, we shared a piece from NIHC Chief Economist Beau Whitney on the setbacks the hemp industry has faced since the 2018 farm bill, particularly as other commodities have continued to succeed. He predicted that there will be 201 million tons of excess hemp biomass in the market at the beginning of the 2021 harvest season.

So, we hope you’ll find intriguing the piece below from Delta Ag – one of NIHC’s newest members – where their President Graham Owens provides a unique perspective on an emergency use declaration to utilize some of the biomass, which will boost the U.S. food supply and benefit American hemp farmers.

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Working Together Works

At NIHC, our motto is “Working Together Works.”

We believe that as the hemp industry unites, the power of its potential in the United States, and worldwide, is undeniable. Our work turns that potential to progress, effort by effort, country by country, and state by state. It’s not easy work, but with a global reach, we’re grateful for our members and industry companies who trust us to jointly make the impact needed.

In light of that spirit, we want to recognize those companies who are making our work possible. We would not be successful without partners like FSNS – Food Safety Net Services, our stellar 2021 Annual Sponsor, and our amazing 2021 Hemp Business Summit Sponsors, who have joined with us and currently include Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP,  Beveridge & Diamond PC and Vicente Sederberg LLP.
 


There is room for you! We welcome forward thinking companies who want to join our efforts to advance U.S. Industrial Hemp!

Download our Sponsorships for the upcoming Summit here.

REGISTER NOW TO GET YOUR SPOT – THIS EVENT WILL SELL OUT!

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Change and Patience

As someone in the hemp industry, you know that change doesn’t come easy.

Our industry fought long and hard to ensure that Americans had an opportunity to grow, process, sell and buy hemp-derived materials. Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the hemp industry continues to mature and innovate.

At NIHC, we’re helping to lead that maturation of the hemp industry through numerous initiatives. Facilitated by staff, board members, experts, our members, trusted partners, consultants and contributors who have aligned with our mission – NIHC is working to move industrial hemp forward into becoming the valuable commodity crop we all know it has the potential to be.

Part of work includes an immediate focus on a variety of legislative initiatives. Our NIHC government affairs committee and leadership are working diligently every day, meeting with lawmakers, regulators and industry stakeholders. We’re working to provide input in legislative language when asked and we’re briefing and updating the agencies that oversee our industry, including USDA and FDA.

But the value-add for the entire industry is more than just our work in hemp policy. Through our participation in the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP) we’re educating international suppliers and customers in the global marketplace on American industrial hemp. What that means is if you’re in the hemp industry, you will be able to have access to international marketing and promotional opportunities, including but not limited to trade missions that will allow you to share your technical expertise about the U.S. Hemp industry with foreign negotiators.

We’re still working on a domestic checkoff program that will fund key industry research, consumer education initiatives, and promotion of hemp-derived products that will benefit everyone in the hemp industry.

Lastly, we’ve been busy at work exploring standards and certifications and what a program might look like to ensure there is transparency for the products sitting on store shelves. Everything we do at NIHC is rooted in the belief that the consumer has a right to be fully informed and the right to feel safe. We look forward to our standards committee reporting some progress to you soon.

As we look back on this year, we start to realize all that we’re accomplishing, and we’re grateful for your trust in us to represent you as an industry.

In the month of August, NIHC will be scaling back our newsletter to every other week as things slow down a bit. But you will see our updates on NIHC’s 2021 Hemp Business Summit. When we are back in full force in September, we’ll be moving full steam ahead continuing straight into our annual 2021 meeting where we can’t wait to see you and share in more detail all that we are doing.

We hope you have a great end of summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall – in person.

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Strong Demand for Commodities Slowing Growth in the Hemp Industry

By Beau R. Whitney, NIHC Chief Economist

The growth and expansion of the hemp industry has received some tough setbacks over the past three years. From regulatory uncertainty and an immature infrastructure to the lack of standards and oversupply of CBD biomass, the industry has not seemed to catch a break. This is typical for a nascent industry and there is always a learning curve.

One thing that has seemingly been overlooked by many about the hemp industry is that it is an agricultural-based industry and is subject to the whims of mother nature. Even though there are regulatory and business dynamics, it is still a crop that is influenced not only by other ag industries, but also the sun and the rain.

The influence of pandemic, economic and environmental factors.
The pace of growth has been influenced by many factors outside of the business and regulatory environments and these factors have showed signs of slowing the growth of the industry. The true extent of this will not be quantified until this fall once more of our research on licenses, supply and operator sentiment has been completed.

The COVID-19 impact on commodity prices.
The COVID-19 period created some head winds when it came to the perception about hemp investment. While higher THC cannabis was given essential business designations, hemp was not so lucky. Without essential status, hemp operators struggled to get the word out. Investment into the hemp industry slowed, as did access to retail channels. Hemp product manufacturers had to pivot and find new channels for distribution. This had a ripple effect throughout the value chain from processors to cultivators.

As the hemp industry struggled, other commodities flourished. A surge in demand for other commodities based on pandemic-related panic buying coincided with historic low prices for hemp. Commodity prices for corn, soy, wheat all surged due to the increase in demand. This is reflected in the price of cereals, tortillas, flour and other consumer staples to such an extent that it has sparked fears of sustained inflation in the broader economy.


Economics: With rising prices, traditional farmers stayed the course.
With rising prices for other commodities, those farmers who were considering transitioning some acreage over to hemp are no longer, at least not in the short run. As prices rise in traditional agricultural commodities, farmers that would have engaged in hemp are now disincentivize to do so.

Recently, when discussing their strategy regarding hemp, a farmer summed it up rather succinctly, “Farmers rarely plant crops without having a buyer or contract in place. With the demand dynamics favoring corn and soy, we are staying the course.”

Farmers rarely plant their crop without a buyer… unless you are in hemp.
While having a contract in place is common throughout the agricultural industry, for some reason hemp is different. In consecutive surveys from 2019 and 2020, 65% of hemp cultivators did not have a buyer for their crop. This has led to oversupply, falling prices and uncertainty in the hemp industry. The slowdown in the transition to hemp has as much to do with a profit margins as it has to do with a lack of buyers.

At some point, those who remain steadfast in the hemp market will be rewarded. The potential of hemp is too great to ignore. … There will be a point where the entrepreneurial spirit will prove to be irresistible.

 

Environmental: Wildfires, floods and extreme heat have also contributed.
Also contributing to the rise in prices for commodities has been the extreme weather events. Wildfires, floods and extreme heat have impacted traditional crops, tightened supplies and driven up prices right when hemp farmers would be planting. With the certainty associated with traditional commodities, and the uncertainty associated with hemp, expansion of the hemp industry has slowed. This pricing dynamic is something hemp farmers must factor into their strategy for the foreseeable future.

The unintended consequences on fiber and grain.
While CBD oversupply and price declines tend to dominate the headlines and instilling uncertainty in the hemp opportunity, fiber and grain have also been caught up in the fray. Entering into the 2021 season, there was an estimated 201 million pounds of excess CBD biomass supply in the market. This excess has created an additional disincentive to cultivate hemp, even fiber or grain. With the potential of fiber and grain in such massive markets such as automotive, construction, animal feed and plastics, it is unfortunate that surging prices for other commodities are overshadowing the true potential of hemp, right at a time when investment is needed most.

Challenges create opportunity.
At some point, those who remain steadfast in the hemp market will be rewarded. The potential of hemp is too great to ignore. With significant consumer demand and a strong drive towards at a sustainable economy, there will be a point where the entrepreneurial spirit will prove to be irresistible. So even though there have been some major headwinds slowing the growth of the market, there is positive momentum nonetheless. Calmer waters are ahead and for those that are able to overcome these present challenges, those hemp operators will be leagues ahead of the competition.

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NIHC Welcomes Julie Lerner to the 2021 NIHC Hemp Summit Speaker Lineup

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

Keynote: Less Talk, More Action –
Fundamental Hemp Market Issues and Opportunities

 

Julie Lerner is the Founder and CEO of PanXchange, a trading platform and market structure solution for physical commodities that specializes in bringing liquidity and efficiencies to thin and/or nascent markets. She was selected as a Futures Industry Association (FIA) Innovator and selected in the inaugural class of the Most Admired CEOs by the Denver Business Journal. She holds two U.S. patents on the PanXchange platform, with another pending. She is a regular contributor to industry trade publications, the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and Bloomberg TV.

Ms. Lerner began her career with Cargill International (Switzerland) and later became the senior trader for Cargill’s Latin American sugar markets, where she focused on the development of origination markets with successful financing programs and warehouse and distribution programs. She has also held several positions in trading and business development with companies such as XL Financial (weather derivatives) and Sempra Energy Trading (electricity).

Ms. Lerner has extensive experience in regional and international agricultural and energy markets. Geographically, her area of expertise covers the U.S., Europe, Latin America and East Africa. She is an advisor to early-stage companies, offering a 360-degree perspective from entrepreneurs to angel investors, and from smallholder farmers to Fortune 100 executives.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PANXCHANGE

REGISTER NOW TO GET YOUR SPOT – THIS EVENT WILL SELL OUT!

 

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NIHC Welcomes Brett Davis – Vice President of New Holland North America – to the Speaker Lineup

You Will Want to Hear This Session:

“Hemp is Now: Here to Stay”

Brett Davis (pictured right) was named Vice President, New Holland North America in April 2019. Brett has served as President of CNH Industrial Capital LLC since March 2015. In October, 2017, he was elected to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association Board of Directors and serves as the Board Liaison to the Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council.

Brett relocated from Curitiba, Brazil, where he served as President of Banco CNH Industrial Capital S. A. since August 2011. Brett joined the company in 1996 in New Holland, Pennsylvania, as Assistant General Counsel. In 1998 he was appointed United States Western Region Operations Manager. Thereafter, Brett relocated to Buenos Aires, Argentina, assuming responsibility for establishing and leading the CNH financial services business. In 2001, Brett moved to Curitiba, Brazil to serve as Director of Operations for Banco CNH Capital.

From 2005 to 2007, Brett served as Managing Attorney and Assistant Secretary for CNH Capital North America. Later Brett assumed responsibility for the North American Commercial Lending Business.
Prior to joining CNH Capital Brett worked in the corporate finance department at the McNees Wallace & Nurick law firm in Pennsylvania.

Brett holds both a law degree and a bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University. He is also conversant in Spanish and Portuguese.

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A Pathway Forward for Hemp and CBD

If you pay attention to cannabis policy and follow its progress on Capitol Hill, this week was an exciting week for our industry. It’s been long-rumored that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Corey Booker (D-NJ) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) would be introducing the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) – legislation to decriminalize marijuana. At NIHC, we don’t have as much to say about that as our cousins in the high-THC business do; but we are certainly minding its portents for the hemp industry. There’s a lot to love in the bill, and many questions too.

The co-sponsors of this bill released their legislation in draft form which means that it hasn’t been formally introduced. NIHC applauds this as a smart and strategic approach that embodies the hard lessons we’ve all learned about the complexities and pitfalls of hemp policy by releasing a draft form of the legislation and seeking industry feedback. As we all know, hemp and higher-THC derivatives are extremely complicated, particularly when regulatory authorities are trying to catch up to industry innovation and we’re operating off of a state-by-state patchwork of laws. Therefore, we much appreciate this approach from the sponsors, and NIHC will continue to engage lawmakers and provide input on the many technical provisions of the bill that relate both directly and indirectly to the hemp industry.

At first glance, the draft legislation contains many positive elements, but it also understandably raises a significant number of technical questions that require careful consideration. We’re hopeful that our history of navigating the regulatory challenges over the last three years and the feedback that we can provide will be a value-add to the entire hemp industry, because there are many important things to consider.

For instance, the draft legislation would allow hemp-derived CBD as a dietary supplement. But it would not explicitly allow other hemp products, as does the bill introduced earlier this summer by Senator Wyden along with Senators Merkley and Paul. The draft legislation introduced this week also would not allow for the inclusion of CBD to be an ingredient to food as the Merkley-Wyden-Paul bill does. So as an industry, we need to work through those differences by soliciting feedback from you and determine the best course of action going forward.

Another curiosity coming out of CAOA is the mandate for ‘cannabis’ (meaning high-THC cannabis and excluding hemp) cultivation to be administered by the Treasury Department, in connection with ATF/TTB authority that will be extended to cannabis. What will it be like for hemp cultivation to be administered by one Department (USDA), and high-THC cannabis cultivation to be administered by another? How will the two coordinate, and what opportunities and pitfalls might our respective industries encounter? Much to ponder.

Meanwhile, another element that appears promising is the bill’s provision for ‘hot’ hemp crops (over the THC limit) to be eligible for diversion into the cannabis value chain. While we all appreciate the sponsors’ evident intent to take another opportunity to help hemp farmers mitigate their risk of hot crops, we should be clear-eyed in recognizing that this may be of little solace. There would likely be little value to hemp farmers who already have extremely low THC in their crops in a market where high THC potencies are the stock in trade.

By far the simplest and most expedient way to relive hemp farmers of the risk of ‘hot’ crops is to change the Federal definition of hemp from an upper limit of 0.3% delta9-THC to one that limits the concentration of all tetrahydrocannabinols to 1%, as many stakeholders have long advocated (including, as of February 2021, 45 State Agriculture Commissioners). And, by the way, it’s worth noting that the CAOA’s removal of all tetrahydrocannabinols from the Controlled Substances Act further supports the need for such a change. NIHC continues to work on this very closely with key Members in the Senate and House; watch this eNewsletter for more developments.

There are many other questions for our industry to consider and, to be frank, our NIHC staff and government affairs co-chairs Rick Fox of Meristem Farms and Jeff Sands of Columbia Care are still parsing through the bill to identify technical issues, provide feedback to Hill staff, and contemplate new questions that arise. Be on the lookout in next week’s newsletter for an in-depth interview with Rick Fox after we’ve had time to parse the individual provisions in the 167-page bill.

Regardless, we’re going to need your input. You can view the 20-page factsheet here and read the text of the legislation by clicking on the hyperlinks. It’s important to take the time to review this draft and let us know your thoughts. Please email your comments to info@hempindustrial.com if you find something that is concerning to you or if you identify items that you believe need to be addressed.

Have a great weekend and happy reading! We look forward to hearing from you.

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You Get Rewards For Working Together – “Why YOU Should Join the NIHC”

By Patrick Atagi, NIHC Board Chair

As I have stated in past newsletters, membership with the NIHC yields tangible rewards. Associations in general, like the NIHC work to ensure that there is a level playing field for all participants by helping to create a system where products and services can move through consistently the stream of commerce.

Yet, association membership isn’t all about business. And rewards are not always tangible. In fact, the most enjoyable part of being a part of the NIHC for me, personally, is the people.

Surrounding myself with smarter people than I has taught me more than you can imagine, as well as provided the ability to get to end results faster and with greater success. We have achieved so much already in our short time as an organized association because of the expert board members, volunteers, consultants, staff, and members who have joined the effort to establish sustainable opportunity in hemp-driven markets.

Therefore, the last piece of NIHC membership to consider is Personal and Professional Development.

Professional associations provide many collaborative opportunities for both personal and professional development that enrich you, teach you, and lead you to a higher level of understanding than you could achieve on your own.

Opportunities for valuable participation include:

  • Leadership Opportunities: Many associations have chapters, and almost all have boards of directors. Both are generally staffed by volunteers who believe in the mission of the association and are willing to spend the time to push it forward. NIHC is working toward a vibrant national network of like-minded organizations, and we need your expertise to guide the efforts at the state, national or international levels!

 

  • Training: Associations offer formal training on topics related to their focus and mission. Training is also much more than getting a dozen or so people in a conference room for a few days. Training can be attending an annual conference, listening to an association webinar, or reading an eBook. And it can be speaking, delivering, or writing the above as well.The best training happens in environments like we are developing for our 2021 NIHC Hemp Business Summit. You will want to be in the room with your peers on November 14-16 in Washington, D.C. to hear the stellar line-up of speakers, to visit with the best companies exhibiting in our Networking Concourse, and to develop deeper relationships with other movers and shakers in hemp industry.

 

  • Opportunities for Thought Leadership: Associations, and especially the NIHC, are always in need of valuable content. We want to share your story and your experiences in a blog post, on a webinar, or at a conference breakout session. After all, it’s one thing to blog on a personal or business blog with perhaps a narrow scope. It’s another thing to blog on the association’s platform, which might be read by thousands of readers, many of whom are thought leaders in their own right.In fact, right now we have opportunities to write or be interviewed for our newsletter or upcoming publications. Each week, we strive to provide an “NIHC Member Spotlight.” If you are a member and want to share your story, contact us today! If you have something to contribute on a topic, please reach out to Caryn Smith, NIHC Communications, with your ideas to be considered.

 

  • Subject Matter Expertise: Last yet not least, associations are always in need of subject matter experts to serve on committees and task forces responsible for developing training, standards, bodies of knowledge, etc. This offers a very unique opportunity for personal and professional development, as well as recognition and high-level networking opportunities. If you look at the top tier of any industry, you will find leaders who serve and help develop the industries they hope to thrive within. If you see areas you can contribute to the industry, we invite you to serve on a committee.

If you are looking for personal satisfaction and professional advancement, look no further than membership in the National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC).

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The Regulatory Anvil Around Hemp’s Declining Market Value’s Neck

By Beau R. Whitney, NIHC Chief Economist

This year’s legislative cycle at the state level has seen a lot of legislation proposed or enacted to severely curtail the growth and development of the hemp industry. It appears that state legislators are genuinely trying to address aspects of the hemp industry that they perceive as public safety issue. These efforts are misguided attempts to drive clarity or create stop-gaps in policy that has been created due to the lack of structure and leadership at the federal level. States are looking to control a market at the state level that has already deployed nationally. These efforts have proven to have significant, yet seemingly unintended consequences on U.S. hemp.

Multiple states are defining extracted and processed materials differently.
For example, California’s AB45 legislation appears on the surface to be an attempt to put the hemp genie back into the bottle and regulate it like higher THC marijuana. The law would likely limit nearly all extracted hemp CBD, with the exception being highly refined THC free Isolate. Combined with a proposed ban on smokable hemp, as well, it is looking more and more like the California hemp market would be virtually destroyed. Trying to carve out niches in the processing industry is creating a ripple effect in the $5.8 billion U.S. market, a market that has seen its value erode by $9.9 billion since October alone.

Figure 1: Total Market Value of U.S. CBD Licensed Processing Capacity

Total Potential Capacity Kg of Capacity Total Value of Processing Capacity
Crude 4,377,246 $555,910,302
Distillate 12,820,139 $3,525,538,176
Isolate 4,767,489 $1,763,970,976

 

Similar bans or laws curtailing the market are being proposed across the country, from New York to Texas and in Oregon. In fact, by April, no fewer than 15 states had introduce legislation to restrict hemp processed products in some shape or form. These bills are common in the sense that they seem to try to provide clarity particularly around how products should be categorized or defined. However, it is through this definition process that the unintended consequences occur and this is impacting the national hemp industry even though it is derived from local legislation.

How states are negatively impacting the national hemp market.
The economic impact on the hemp industry comes from the lack of nationwide common definitions or common interpretation of what hemp and hemp derived products actually are. When there is a lack of clarity at the federal level and definitions are left up to interpretation by each state, there will inevitably be mismatches from state to state. This is similar to what occurred when there was a lack of definition of hemp under the 2014 Farm Bill versus the 2018 Farm Bill.

Different definitions impact interstate commerce.
Having different definitions in different states poses a serious threat to interstate commerce. We saw the effect in 2020 when a truck driver was arrested in Idaho for trying to transport legal hemp from Oregon to Colorado. Idaho laws made hemp illegal, even though it was permitted to be grown and processed nationally. This state versus federal commercial rub was eventually clarified, but problems in other areas remain.

The hemp industry needs federal leadership, quickly.
Much of this confusion can easily be cleared up with swift action at the federal level. Unfortunately, the federal government is not known for being this nimble. By clearly defining regulatory definitions and quickly deploying guidance at the federal level, the USDA, FDA and DEA can resolve this legal and regulatory ambiguity that the states are trying (unsuccessfully) to address. It can start by clarifying the definition of post-harvest, value-added products at being hemp derived and can also adopt the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) proposed definition of hemp raising total THC limits from 0.3% to 1.0%.

The hemp industry needs national standards.
In addition to clarifications at the federal level, the hemp industry needs to quickly agree to and adopt national standards for definitions, and testing so that the states do not have to attempt this exercise themselves. The National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC) is working with others to develop and deploy these standards. These efforts will be a service to not only the industry but also to state and federal governments who are struggling right now to keep pace with the development of the U.S. hemp industry. Standards will also help build confidence in hemp and hemp derived products for individual consumers who have a right to know that the products they’re purchasing are tested and safe.

This and more will be discussed at NIHC’s 2021 Business Summit in Washington, DC on November 14-16. It would benefit you to be there.

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Taking the Wins Where We Can

As an avid reader of NIHC’s weekly newsletter, you’ll no doubt note that recently we included an item in the news section about the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations draft report language on hemp.

There was much to celebrate:

  • A prohibition on the use of funds in contravention of the hemp provisions in both the 2014 Farm Bill and 2018 Farm Bill. This adds needed clarity that hemp produced under 2014 Farm Bill authorities remains fully legal under Federal law.
  • Another extension of the 2014 Pilot Program—through the end of 2022—for the approximately 75% of the hemp farming that operates under these authorities, including four of the five largest hemp producing states.
  • Direction to the USDA, HHS and the DEA to study the scientific basis of the 0.3 percent THC threshold and consider alternative levels.
  • Direction to USDA to reduce barriers to access for communities of color, specifically citing the 10-year ban on individuals convicted of drug felonies as such a barrier.
  • Clear acknowledgment that Congress intended to avoid criminalization of hemp processing, understands that in-process extract may temporarily exceed the THC limit, and directs USDA to coordinate directly with the DEA to present the industry with guidance and information on in-process extracted material
  • Eligibility of hemp to participate in all USDA-related programming. This includes the value-added producer grants program through the Office of Rural Development, crop insurance through the Risk Management Agency and as a specialty crop through the Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS).

The NIHC has been working with the House Committee on Agriculture to provide feedback on many of these roadblocks facing farmers in our industry. We have directly spoken to members of Congress and their staff on both sides of the aisle to raise awareness about all of the things that were mentioned in the Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations report. We are continuing to engage with members and staff of both parties on both sides of the Capitol.

This week, we sent a letter to House Agriculture appropriators thanking them for their language in this report and circulated it to those on the authorizing committees and also friends of the hemp industry.

You can read the full letter sent from NIHC Board Chair Patrick Atagi to the House Committee on Agriculture here.

 
 

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National Industrial Hemp Council
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202-919-3750
Info@HempIndustrial.com

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