USDA Hemp Program Director William Richmond, CO Governor Jared Polis, Presence Marketing’s Tracy Miedema Among Headliners at NoCo Hemp Expo, March 26-28

Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, March 2020
By Steven Hoffman

Move over Colorado Governor Jared Polis, USDA Hemp Program Director William Richmond, former NFL player Matt Wilhelm, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg and other confirmed speakers – Presence Marketing’s very own VP of Innovation and Brand Development, Tracy Miedema, will be among the headliners presenting at the upcoming NoCo Hemp Expo, March 26-28, 2020, at the National Western Complex in Denver, CO. Now in its seventh year, NoCo Hemp Expo is the world’s largest trade show, conference and gathering of hemp industry professionals under one roof. This year’s event is expected to attract nearly 20,000 visitors, say show organizers.

Initial confirmed speakers at the 2020 NoCo Hemp Expo include business leaders in the hemp and natural foods space, investors, legal and policy experts, and elite athletes, including a special appearance from celebrity soccer star Rachael Rapinoe. Plus, Alyssa Boston, Miss Universe Canada 2019, a prominent hemp advocate, will provide insight into the health and wellness benefits of hemp at the conference. Top government officials, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis, William Richmond, USDA’s Chief of the U.S. Domestic Hemp Program, and Kate Greenberg, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, will also be on hand to discuss recent rules and regulations regarding hemp. In addition, Arran Stevens, Cofounder and Co-CEO of organic and hemp food trailblazer Nature’s Path Foods, will discuss innovation in consumer products, hemp and organic agriculture, and Stephanie Karba, Environmental Researcher with Patagonia, will discuss the company’s commitment to hemp fiber and fashion.

Sharing retail and natural products industry expertise, Tracy Miedema will lead a panel on The State of Hemp and CBD Retailing on Friday, March 27, as part of NoCo Hemp Expo’s annual Business Conference for hemp industry professionals and business leaders. For more information, visit www.nocohempexpo.com.

Presence Marketing’s Tracy Miedema Featured at AHPA Hemp-CBD Congress

Photo: AHPA

Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, September 2019
By Steven Hoffman

Comparing CBD to other herb-derived products like echinacea, American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Chief Executive Michael McGuffin said, “Hemp is just another herb that should be regulated the same as any other dietary supplement.” Speaking at the sold-out AHPA Hemp-CBD Congress held in Denver on August 15-16, McGuffin said CBD producers should be expected to comply with “all federal regulations” including using registered food and processing facilities. Tracy Miedema, VP of Innovation and Brand Development for Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence, also spoke at the conference, which was sponsored in part by Presence Marketing. Miedema, a “true believer” who was married in the 1990s in a hemp wedding dress, said CBD is a huge phenomenon worldwide, expected to generate between $15 billion and $20 billion in sales in the next few years. Miedema, who is a board member of the Lexington, KY-based U.S. Hemp Roundtable, was quoted in UPI News saying, “When the 2018 Farm Bill passed, taking CBD off the Schedule 1 [drug list], that unlocked the potential in funding.” Commenting on the uncertain regulatory environment, Miedema added, “This is a political problem, not a legal problem. Neither supply nor demand can be stopped at this point.” Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a champion of hemp, opened the Hemp-CBD Congress, declaring hemp “a crop of the past and yes, a crop of the future.”