Hemp Industry to Congress and FDA: “Regulate CBD Now”
This article originally appeared on LetsTalkHemp.com
By Steven Hoffman
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable (USHR) at a press conference on June 18 in Denver called on members of Congress in Colorado and in states across the country to support national legislation that would call on the FDA to regulate CBD like any other dietary supplement.
With approximately 100 people in attendance in person and online via Zoom at its Spring 2021 membership meeting held at the Denver History Museum, USHR underscored its lobbying efforts by announcing the launch of Regulate CBD Now, an online campaign to encourage citizens to contact their representatives about important legislation impacting consumer access to hemp and CBD products in the U.S.
Members of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable announced on June 18 the launch of “Regulate CBD Now,” an online campaign to encourage passage of national legislation allowing access to CBD in dietary supplements and food and beverage products. Photo: Let’s Talk Hemp
According to USHR General Counsel Jonathan Miller, the hemp industry is focused on two bills that Congress is currently considering – H.R. 841 in the U.S. House of Representatives, and S. 1698 in the U.S. Senate – that would call on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate CBD as a dietary supplement or as a food additive. “To have CBD regulated like dietary supplements would be a game changer for the hemp-derived CBD industry,” Miller told Let’s Talk Hemp.
According to a statement by USHR, while the FDA has recognized the significant public interest in CBD, the agency has not yet established a legal pathway for its sale.
“We wanted to raise awareness of this important legislation by hosting our Spring meeting in Colorado, an epicenter of the hemp industry,” said Miller. “We’re grateful to Colorado Representative Ed Perlmutter for co-sponsoring H.R. 841, and we hope that Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) will co-sponsor H.R. 841, as she serves on the committee of jurisdiction, Energy and Commerce. Also, we hope Senators Hickenlooper and Bennett will support the Senate bill, S. 1698.” Miller noted that in addition to allowing CBD to be regulated like dietary supplements, the Senate bill also calls for CBD to be permitted as an ingredient in food and beverage products.
“Colorado is a hemp state. We need Colorado’s elected officials to stand up and support legislation that gives consumers confidence in our products, protects small businesses and farmers, and allows this new industry to thrive,” said Steve Smith, co-founder of Pet Releaf, a family-owned company based in Littleton, CO. Smith noted that Colorado is home to many hemp and CBD companies. However, regulatory uncertainty has started to dismantle this up-and coming market, he said.
“The only way we’re going to see a regulated CBD market is if everyday citizens make their voices heard,” Miller emphasized. “Taken together, these two bills are a huge step forward in creating more certainty for farmers, greater protections for consumers, and more economic opportunity for…hemp companies,” he said.
About the Bills
H.R. 841 – Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2021
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), H.R. 841 allows the use of hemp, cannabidiol (CBD) derived from hemp, or any other ingredient derived from hemp in a dietary supplement, provided that the supplement meets other applicable requirements. Currently, FDA's position is that CBD products may not be sold as dietary supplements. (Source: congress.gov.)
S. 1698 – Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act
Introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), S. 1698 would allow hemp-derived cannabidiol and hemp-derived cannabidiol containing substances in dietary supplements and food and beverage products. (Source: congress.gov).
“Regulate CBD Now” Endorsed by Leading Consumer Products Associations
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable is a national advocacy organization comprising a coalition of dozens of leading companies and organizations committed to safe hemp and CBD products. USHR works in partnership with national, regional and state organizations, and helps lead the way forward for hemp and CBD products through education and action.
In addition to USHR, the Regulate CBD Now campaign is supported by organizations including the Alliance for Natural Health, American Herbal Products Association, Citizens for Health, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Friends of Hemp, Hemp Alliance of Tennessee, Hemp Industries Association, Midwest Hemp Council, National Grocers Association, Texas Hemp Coalition, United Natural Products Alliance, U.S. Hemp Authority, U.S. Hemp Building Association, Vote Hemp, We Are for Better Alternatives (WAFBA), and the Wisconsin Hemp Alliance.
For more information, visit www.regulateCBDnow.com and www.hempsupporter.com.
Supporting the Juneteenth Holiday, and Diversity and Inclusion in Hemp
In addition to covering a lengthy agenda, members of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable also wrapped up their Spring meeting by honoring Juneteenth – the new national holiday celebrating emancipation from slavery in the United States – with a number of USHR members volunteering to work at the Juneteenth Music Festival on June 19 in downtown Denver. The volunteer opportunity was organized by USHR’s Minority Empowerment Committee (MEC) to advance the association’s efforts to achieve equity, including, diversity and inclusion in the industry hemp and CBD industries.
U.S. Hemp Roundtable members volunteered to work at the Juneteenth Music Festival on June 19 in Denver, CO – Photo: U.S. Hemp Roundtable Facebook Page
Large-scale Study Finds No Evidence of Liver Toxicity from Oral CBD Products
Photo: Pexels
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s April 2021 Industry Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
CBD products do not cause liver damage when taken orally, according to preliminary results of a seven-month clinical investigation conducted by Validcare in response to the FDA’s request to help inform the agency’s regulatory approach regarding products containing hemp-derived CBD. Twelve companies, including CBD market leader Charlotte’s Web, helped support the study. Preliminary findings showed no evidence of liver disease in the 839 participants in the study, and no increase in the prevalence of elevated liver function tests when compared to a population with a similar incidence of medical conditions. The Validcare study’s findings were shared with the FDA when researchers met with the agency on March 15 to review preliminary liver safety results in the form of an abstract, reported Nutra Ingredients-USA. “We are encouraged by these findings and hopeful this study provides FDA with sufficient science-based data to determine and take action on a safe regulatory path forward,” said Keith Aqua, M.D., co-principal investigator of the study.
U.S. Hemp Brokerage Adds Willie Nelson’s Willie’s Remedy™, Wana Wellness™, First Crop™ and Plain Jane™ to Its Portfolio of Hemp and CBD Brands
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“On the Road Again”
U.S. Hemp Brokerage Adds Willie Nelson’s Willie’s Remedy™, Wana Wellness™, First Crop™ and Plain Jane™ to Its Portfolio of Hemp and CBD Brands
In addition to representing the country music icon’s hemp extract brand, Willie’s Remedy™, in natural channel retail and distribution, U.S. Hemp Brokerage has added to its product portfolio Wana Wellness™, a new line of hemp offerings from leading cannabis company Wana Brands; First Crop™, a standard setter in USDA Certified Organic hemp-derived CBD products; and Plain Jane™, the fastest-growing smokable hemp brand in the nation.
“If you haven’t heard of us yet, we expect you will very soon.” – Jeff Cole, Founder and Managing Director, U.S. Hemp Brokerage
Longmont, CO (March 15, 2021) – Manufacturers in the natural food, beverage, personal care and dietary supplement markets have long engaged sales brokerage firms to help represent them to leading independent and chain grocers and retailers across the country.
Now, Colorado-based U.S. Hemp Brokerage LLC (USHB) is firmly positioned to become the premiere brokerage firm exclusively dedicated to preparing and selling the highest quality and most efficacious hemp-derived consumer products market-wide.
USHB offers natural channel retailers a full range of products, including full-spectrum hemp extracts, dietary supplements and personal care products, and hemp-infused coffees, teas, functional foods, beverages and more. The brokerage also has extensive experience in promoting and selling related non-cannabinoid hemp-derived consumer products such as hemp bioplastics, clothing, bedding, furniture and more. In addition, USHB represents leading smokable hemp brands including Diesel Hemp, Plain Jane and Star Farm Organics.
Launched in 2019, U.S. Hemp Brokerage spent the pandemic months retooling and reinventing itself. “We decided to go small last year, and feel very fortunate to be coming through this pandemic stronger than when we first launched,” said Jeffrey Cole, a hemp industry sales, marketing, communications and media veteran, who founded U.S. Hemp Brokerage and serves as its Managing Partner.
Visit U.S. Hemp Brokerage at NoCo Hemp Expo, March 26-27, 2021, at the National Western Complex in Denver, CO. Visit www.nocohempexpo.com for more information.
Representing All-Star Brands
Having worked over the past year in building its brand portfolio, the U.S. Hemp Brokerage team is excited to represent the following leading brands, offering natural channel retailers full-service, COVID-compliant, customized promotional marketing and demo support.
Willie’s Remedy™ – U.S. Hemp Brokerage is pleased to announce it has been appointed to represent in the natural retail channel Willie Nelson’s brand Willie’s Remedy™, a Denver, CO-based line of organically grown, full spectrum hemp-infused products. The product line was inspired by legendary country music icon Willie Nelson and his wife Annie Nelson, and includes hemp-infused coffee, tea, tinctures, and topicals which are coming this year.
First Crop™ – Complementing the Willie’s Remedy product line, USHB was appointed to provide market readiness consulting and brokerage services for First Crop™, the Santa Fe, NM, CBD farm and product group dedicated to regenerative and organic agriculture. First Crop manufactures USDA Certified Organic hemp products including functional tinctures and supplements, such as Calm and Sleep, made with full spectrum hemp extract and adaptogenic botanicals. “First Crop sets an innovative new standard for adaptogenic hemp products. We’re honored to represent them,” said Cole.
Wana Wellness™ – In addition, USHB is pleased to represent Wana Wellness™, a brand new line of hemp-derived wellness products from top-selling cannabis manufacturer Wana Brands. A pioneer in edibles since 2010, Wana has made its name by incorporating quality ingredients and innovative, health-conscious recipes that eliminate high fructose corn syrup and are gluten free. Wana Wellness leverages this experience in its broad-spectrum hemp oil CBD gummies and line of tinctures that blend beneficial herbs with premium broad spectrum hemp extract.
U.S. Hemp Brokerage also represents other leading hemp extract lines including Hemp Luxe – a line of full-spectrum tinctures, topicals and gummies launched by leading Ohio-based independent natural products retailer Mustard Seed Market; Green Cherry Organics; Restorative Botanicals; Pure Kind Botanicals; and other breakout brands. Visit https://www.ushempbrokerage.com/brands/.
“It’s great to have the USHB product portfolio of 300-plus SKUs from these amazing brands. We carry half of the brands in USHB’s portfolio right now,” said Christin Evans, Supplements Manager at Lucky’s Market in Boulder, who went on to say she has worked with Cole and USHB partners since 2016, before the brokerage was founded.
Providing Complete, COVID-compliant, Retailer Promotional Support
“We are one of the first branded product groups dedicated to hemp-derived products that provides promotional support program management,” Cole noted. “We’ve been working with retail partners including Lucky’s Market, Alfalfa’s Market and others to create custom hemp displays, end caps and pricing that many retailers desperately need at this time,” he said.
“Also, many retailers are excited about our COVID-compliant demo opportunities, which make a big difference in our sales. Overall, we’ve worked with more than 700 stores nationally through all the brands we’ve represented. If you haven’t heard of us yet, we expect you will very soon,” Cole added.
“While it’s been a challenging year for finished, branded hemp-derived products, we look forward to expanding our services and product lines. We listen to our retail partners, learn what they want, and create customized, co-branded programs especially for their markets. Such custom promotional and merchandising programs are available to natural channel retailers nationwide for Willie’s Remedy™, First Crop™ and others,” he said.
In addition to consumer products, U.S. Hemp Brokerage’s materials division serves the markets for bast, hurd, fiber, wood and plastics derived from industrial hemp. The company also deals in extraction and other hemp processing machinery, and technology, including applications and software for hemp consumers and industry, through the development of its solely-owned shopping cart and e-commerce platform, “not to mention our advanced automation relationship that will soon deliver our brands to market on a continuous basis,” Cole said.
About U.S. Hemp Brokerage LLC
Based in Boulder County, Colorado, U.S. Hemp Brokerage LLC (USHB) is dedicated to providing hemp farmers, processors and manufacturers with high-quality professional sales brokerage services to retail and wholesale customers. Since 2015, the leadership and associate team members of USHB have actively farmed industrial hemp, developed hemp brands and marketed them to local, regional and national wholesale and retail clients, including such natural, conventional and specialty retail leaders as Lucky’s Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Natural Grocers, Alfalfa’s Market, Wegmans, Giant Eagle, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, CVS, Safeway, Albertson’s, Publix and other mass and natural grocery chains. The products and brands we represent have been carefully selected with a close eye on CGMP practices, compliance and traceability. Visit www.ushempbrokerage.com and on Facebook.
U.S. Hemp Brokerage will showcase its portfolio of branded products at NoCo Hemp Expo, March 25-27, 2021, at National Western Complex in Denver, CO. In addition, founder Jeff Cole will be moderating a panel titled Shelf Interest: the State of Hemp and CBD Retailing, on Friday, March 26, at the event. For more information, visit www.nocohempexpo.com.
Contact:
Jeff Cole, U.S. Hemp Brokerage, jcole@ushempbrokerage.com, tel 719.217.7230
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042
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2020 Election: Cannabis and Hemp/CBD Enjoy Bipartisan Support
This article originally appeared in the December edition of Presence Marketing’s Industry Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
In a country divided, there was one thing in the 2020 elections that enjoyed bipartisan support, and that was cannabis.
In New Jersey, 67% of voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana for people age 21 and over. The new recreational market is expected to generate $1.9 billion in sales in the state, resulting in $126 million in sales tax revenue, according the estimates from New Jersey’s Office of Legislative Services, reported Bloomberg News,.
In all, five more states in the U.S. approved ballot measures legalizing cannabis use for adults, including Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota. Prior to the 2020 election, 11 states and Washington, D.C., had legalized marijuana.
According to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, “It would be premature to proclaim the Biden/Harris Administration as pro-cannabis. But while both Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris once took adverse positions, their campaign called for the de-criminalization of marijuana and expungement of convictions. This should translate to a Department of Justice that will place a much lower priority on policing levels of THC in hemp and hemp extracts.”
Jonathan Miller, General Counsel for the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, told Let’s Talk Hemp, “We are increasingly optimistic about hemp’s political prospects. Nearly all of our biggest supporters, from both parties, won reelection, and the likely changes among the political leadership at FDA, USDA and DEA could help resolve some of the more difficult issues that farmers and the industry have been facing.”
According to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, hemp industry champions in Congress scored some victories on Election Day 2020:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who led the fight for hemp’s legalization in the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, won reelection by a more than 20 point margin in Kentucky. It is still not clear whether McConnell will remain Majority Leader, but even if Democrats take control of the U.S. Senate, hemp will be secure under the leadership of Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (and McConnell would remain a powerful force as Minority Leader.)
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who has led efforts to pressure the USDA and FDA into support for the hemp and CBD industries, won reelection by a nearly 20 point margin as well.
Cannabis champion Senator Corey Gardner (R-CO) lost by a wide margin, but his victorious opponent, John Hickenlooper, oversaw one of the first successful state hemp programs in Colorado and should be an industry ally.
Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), lead sponsors of HR 8179-- critical legislation that would open up a legal pathway for the sale of hemp-derived CBD as a dietary supplement – cruised in their reelection bids.
Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), authors of a strong letter to DEA, urging that agency to withdraw its troublesome interim final rule on hemp, won overwhelming re-election victories.
U.S. Hemp Roundtable also reported “One sour note: longtime hemp champion, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) lost a hard-fought battle for re-election in an overwhelmingly Republican district. The hemp industry owes Rep. Peterson a huge debt of gratitude for his important work on the 2018 Farm Bill, introducing legislation to protect hemp-derived CBD, and most recently, helping secure an extension for states to operate under the 2014 Farm Bill. We look forward to working with his replacement as Chair of the House Agriculture Committee,” the hemp advocacy organization said in a statement.
In related news, voters in Oregon approved the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of drugs, and a separate ballot initiative made the state the first to legalize therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms. In Washington, D.C., voters passed a measure to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms and other psychedelic plants and fungi, reported NBC News. (The City of Denver, CO, was the first to decriminalize hallucinogenic mushrooms in 2019). Speaking in Oregon, Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Associated Press, “Today’s victory is a landmark declaration that the time has come to stop criminalizing people for drug use.”
It’s Hemp vs. the DEA…Again!
Photo: Wikipedia
Hemp industry leaders urge constituents to submit comments in the Federal Register: “Keep the DEA out of the hemp business.”
By Steven Hoffman
When Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, it included historic legislation that legalized the production and sale of industrial hemp in the U.S. for the first time in more than 80 years. In doing so, it removed the DEA’s (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) decades-long adversarial jurisdiction over the crop.
Unfortunately, reported the U.S. Hemp Roundtable on September 14, “DEA has stuck its nose back under the hemp tent.”
In 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) on hemp, outlining provisions for USDA to approve plans submitted by states and Native American Tribes for the domestic production of hemp. However, in March 2020, USDA Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue testified before a Congressional subcommittee that DEA was opposed to implementing a domestic hemp program, and that it exerted outsized influence on USDA’s proposed rules.
The DEA “really didn’t like the whole program to begin with,” Perdue told Congress. “This is a new and unusual crop, as you understand,” Perdue said at the time. “Our hands were constrained many times by the interagency process.” Perdue admitted that a number of burdensome and troubling provisions inserted in USDA’s Interim Final Rule on hemp came at the direction of DEA.
Only last month, in August, DEA published its own Interim Final Rule on hemp that, among other things, “could potentially criminalize the hemp extraction process,” said the U.S. Hemp Roundtable in its statement.
As of now, both IFRs are open for public input, and industry leaders encourage hemp industry members to submit comments. “Our message is simple: Let Farmers farm. Keep the DEA out of the hemp business,” U.S. Roundtable said.
“Congress made clear in the 2018 Farm Bill that the era of DEA involvement with the hemp crop was over. So, you can imagine our frustration with the DEA trying once again to exercise its authority over the crop by imposing restrictions within USDA’s rulemaking, and by issuing its own Interim Final Rule which purports to re-criminalize hemp extraction,” said Jonathan Miller, General Counsel of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.
“It’s time for us to take a stand, and we encourage all hemp supporters to send comments to the DEA and the USDA through our easy-to-use portal,” Miller added.
Constituents can easily submit comments via an online portal established by the U.S. Hemp Roundtable that directs comments into the federal registry by using this link. A draft letter is available for use or customizing with your own personal stories.
Jonathan Miller urges hemp industry members to act soon. The comments period closes on October 8 for the USDA, and October 20 for the DEA.
You can read U.S. Hemp Roundtable’s formally submitted comments here: USDA Comments; DEA Comments.
For more information, visit www.hempsupporter.com.
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NPA Criticizes Senate for Excluding Funding for CBD Health Safety Evaluation
Photo: Pixabay
Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, October 2019
By Steven Hoffman
The Natural Products Association (NPA), based in Washington, DC, reported that the U.S. Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee failed to include legislation passed earlier this summer in the House of Representatives that would have appropriated $100,000 for the FDA to perform a health hazard evaluation on CBD. The health hazard evaluation would have determined and set a safe use level for the consumption of CBD. This process has precedent, allowing FDA to exercise enforcement discretion on natural products that contain levels of an approved drug ingredient, most notably red yeast rice, reported Nutritional Outlook. The Senate agriculture committee only included language that instructed FDA to report back to them in 90 days, but otherwise, no meaningful progress was made in regulating CBD products, NPA said. “What we saw today was the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee fail to include any meaningful legislative language that would force the FDA to do its job when it comes to CBD. Sadly, this approach will lead to nothing but problems. We are seeing that play out with the vaping crisis and we are desperately hoping to avoid that with CBD,” said Daniel Fabricant, PhD, president and CEO of NPA, in a statement. “This should have been an easy choice for the committee, they should have taken their lead from the U.S. House of Representatives where Congressman (Jerry) McNerney had already had an amendment pass that would actually protect American consumers. However, the fight is not over. We are continuing our work to ensure that the one in seven Americans that use a CBD product everyday have the ability to believe that the FDA is doing its job, and not taking the path of least resistance. We encourage everyone to tell their Congressman and Senators to set a safe level of daily consumption for CBD,” Fabricant said.
40% of Adults Have Tried CBD in States Where it Is Legal
Photo: Pixabay
Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, October 2019
By Steven Hoffman
Cannabidiol “isn’t just for a select few people,” claims market research firm The NPD Group. Nearly 20% of adults have tried CBD in states where it is legal, and almost half of them have used it recently, reported Darren Seifer, Executive Director, Industry Analyst for The NPD Group. This figure is expected to increase rapidly as CBD is appearing in snack foods and beverages, consumers are getting more comfortable with the idea and just as many people plan to try it as are currently using it, he says. “There is definitely interest on the part of consumers in CBD but its future in the mass market is dependent on legalization, which is now a patchwork of state legislation,” says Seifer. “Even with the complexities of legalization, consumer acceptance and adoption of CBD as a food and medicine is an important topic for food manufacturers to keep on their radar screens.” The Port Washington, NY-based market research firm said among those consumers using CBD, 40% of them are “seeking to better themselves with food and beverage choices…a stat that reflects the increasing use of food as medicine by consumers.”
Hemp Happenings This Summer
Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, August 2019
By Steven Hoffman
Compass Natural is pleased to organize the following hemp leadership events.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis to Give Keynote Speech at AHPA Hemp-CBD Supplement Congress, August 16, Denver
Colorado Governor Jared Polis will present the keynote speech during the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Hemp-CBD Congress on Friday, August 16, 2019, in Denver. The address by Gov. Polis helps set the national stage for the vitality of the hemp industry and the positive economic impact the commodity will have for farmers and for dietary supplement companies nationwide, says AHPA. Currently, the industry is navigating a rapidly evolving legal, regulatory and financial landscape on how to manufacture and market dietary supplement products with hemp or hemp-derived ingredients including cannabidiol (CBD).
“We’re proud that Governor Polis will present AHPA’s keynote presentation. His participation is integral to the future of hemp and we look forward to continuing to be a voice of the herbal products industry and share his groundbreaking message to our 500+ leading members,” said Michael McGuffin, President of AHPA. “This collaboration with Governor Polis solidifies his plans to make good on the promise he made in January to position and help shape the future of industrial hemp.” The two-day congress includes speakers from USDA and FDA, plus legal and regulatory experts, farmers and producers, manufacturers, retailers and hemp and dietary supplement association leaders. Presence Marketing’s VP of Innovation and Brand Development, Tracy Miedema, will speak at the event, and Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence will also be a featured Sponsor Partner of the AHPA Hemp-CBD Summit. Visit http://www.ahpa.org.
Photo: Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis
Second Annual Southern Hemp Expo Returns to Tennessee, Unites Rapidly Growing Hemp Industry
More than 5,000 farmers, entrepreneurs, investors, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers will gather at this year’s 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo, a program-rich conference, exhibition and trade show structured specifically for the rapidly growing industrial, nutritional, and therapeutic hemp industries, held at Williamson County AG Expo Park in Franklin, TN, Sept. 6-7, 2019.
Participants at the 2019 Southern Hemp Expo will learn about the exploding hemp market, which is expected to surge to more than $26 billion in sales by 2025. This year’s Southern Hemp Expo will include a business and investment conference; hemp farm symposium; industry day with a business-to-business expo hall; general public day with an expo hall for consumers; workshops and demonstrations; and networking and entertainment. Attendees will receive up-to-date information about federal and state legislation and regulations, current trends in CBD and hemp supplements; the latest developments in processing, technology and innovation; certification, compliance and lab testing; and breeding, genetics, seeds and clones, and more. Exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities for the Southern Hemp Expo are available online at www.southernhempexpo.com. Southern Hemp Expo is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company—which has been producing the NoCo Hemp Expo, the world’s largest hemp industry gathering, in Colorado since 2014.
Hemp Market Takes Off at Expo West
For Presence Marketing Newsletter, April 2019
By Steven Hoffman
Anyone attending Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural products trade show, held this past March, couldn’t help but notice that 2019 has emerged as “The Year of Hemp” in the natural and organic products market.
Indeed, the legalization of industrial hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill has been a boon for independent natural foods retailers, said Loren Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance. “For smaller stores, this category has been a lifeline for them as they battle to maintain foot traffic in the stores as online sales continue to grow.”
Larger stores, too, are eyeing the hemp market: Boulder-based Lucky’s Market has taken the lead in hemp and CBD product sales in its stores nationwide, with full shelf sets in the natural living department. Ohio-based Mustard Seed Market’s supplement sales are being driven by its commitment to CBD products, says Nutrition Director Abraham Nabors. Whole Foods Market’s trend spotters identified hemp as a “top 10 food trend for 2019,” and recently, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey indicated the possibility of Whole Foods selling cannabis products should they become legal in the future.
According to Hemp Business Journal’s new report, The Global State of Hemp: 2019 Industry Outlook, U.S. sales of hemp products – from full-spectrum hemp extract and CBD products to hemp foods, textiles, building materials, bioplastics and more – estimated at $1 billion in 2018, are projected to grow 27% annually to reach $2.6 billion by 2022. Global hemp retail sales totaled $3.7 billion in 2018 and are projected to grow to $5.7 billion by 2020.
The passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the Farm Bill, in late December was nothing less than historic, legalizing for the first time in more than 80 years the commercial cultivation and sale of industrial hemp. “Most importantly, noted journalist Chris Chafin in Rolling Stone, “it removes hemp and any hemp derivative from the Controlled Substances Act, legally separating it from marijuana and putting its supervision under the Department of Agriculture. In the most basic sense, these plants serve three primary uses: fiber (paper and cloth), seeds (for hemp oil and food), and cannabinoid oils. It’s this last category that’s the most profitable and has the biggest potential for growth. The [Farm Bill] defines hemp as any part or derivative of cannabis with a THC level below 0.3 percent on a dry-weight basis,” Chafin reported.
Hemp Steals the Show at Expo West
Interest in the category was so strong at 2019 Natural Products Expo West that a full-day Hemp & CBD Summit held at the show spilled out beyond a 500-person ballroom into two other rooms where a similar-sized audience watched by live video feed. Also, during a panel discussion hosted by Presence Marketing and NCG at Expo West for over 150 retailers, CBD and hemp supply chain (e.g., ensuring that the full spectrum hemp extract products you carry are sourced from certified organic producers, etc.) dominated the discussion.
Full spectrum hemp and CBD products from new and national brands alike were introduced everywhere at the trade show: carob snacks with hemp extract from Missy J’s; CBD sparkling water from Weller; hemp-infused honey from Colorado Hemp Honey; CBD wellness shooters introduced by Navitas; organic full-spectrum hemp extract from Gaia Herbs, Charlotte’s Web, CV Sciences and others; hemp supplements by Leaf Therapeutics, a new brand launched by legacy brand Solaray; hemp gummies and caramels from Boulder-based Restorative Botanicals; CBD sports nutrition, hemp balms, hemp infused body care products and more. Honestly, what didn’t have CBD hemp extract at Expo West?
And that’s not to mention hemp foods derived from hemp seed – high in plant-based protein and omega-3 essential fatty acids, but with no CBD or cannabinoid compounds. Sold for over 20 years in natural foods stores, hemp seed-derived products are now widely regarded as superfoods. Brands such as Tempt, Manitoba Harvest, Evo Hemp and others presented new hemp food offerings at Expo West, capitalizing on heightened interest in all things hemp.
CBD or Hemp Extract?
The FDA may yet come out against use of the term “CBD.” While the agency is expected to review CBD and hemp extracts in food and supplements in the near future, according to outgoing FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, CBD isolate was approved as a drug by the agency after granting license for Epidiolex, the first pharmaceutical derived from cannabidiol (CBD), manufactured by the company GW Pharmaceuticals. The commissioner had recently spoken of a “pathway” to acceptance of hemp CBD as a dietary ingredient. However, with Gottlieb announcing his resignation in early March, many in the natural products industry are uncertain whether progress on FDA regulatory policy regarding hemp and CBD will be made.
However, judging from exhibit after exhibit on the trade show floor, you wouldn’t know the regulatory waters around the use of the term “CBD” are murky. For many exhibitors at Expo West, “CBD” was the go-to phrase on product packaging, literature and exhibit signage, while others more conservatively stuck to the phrase “full-spectrum hemp extract.”
Despite FDA’s lack of a decision to date in this regard, manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike are responding positively to the use of CBD on the product label, and are not waiting for FDA to decide. This could be an issue down the road for many manufacturers, should the FDA decide to crack down on use of CBD on labels. The key, advised a number of speakers at the show, is avoid the use of CBD isolate in products and stick with full-spectrum hemp extract to avoid unwanted attention from the FDA.
While "it’s still unclear how different federal agencies will interpret the new [Farm Bill] rules...it doesn’t matter — people in the CBD industry are calling the new legislation a game changer," observed Chafin in Rolling Stone.
Transparency and Testing Are Crucial
A major theme at Expo West’s Hemp & CBD Summit focused on manufacturers operating with safety and integrity, noted CBD Insider in a March 9, 2019, report. “To preserve integrity, businesses must always test their products, especially in these six areas: cannabinoid potency, residual solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, microbes, and terpenes. After this testing is complete and the products are verifiably ready for consumption, companies should be transparent with their testing and provide documentation of third-party lab results. Companies — and consumers — must do their homework and ask questions. If a laboratory, farmer, brand, or any other entity in the supply chain is not willing to be transparent, it’s a sign that you should do business elsewhere. Many of the speakers discussed how they personally vet businesses before working with them, such as requiring documentation or personally visiting the company’s facility,” reported CBD Insider.
In addition, and importantly, retailers and consumers should seek out hemp products that are grown in accordance with certified organic and preferably climate friendly regenerative practices, emphasized John Roulac, founder of Nutiva and RE: Botanicals, a new hemp “apothecary,” which debuted at Expo West. Beware of low-cost hemp extract products that may have been produced with industrial agriculture practices including toxic, synthetic pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers derived from natural gas and fracking – contributors to global warming – and extracted with toxic organic solvents, he cautioned.
U.S. Hemp Acreage – 80,000 Acres and Growing
Although hemp is now legal across the U.S., the message seems to be getting out slowly, and state and local authorities are still seizing hemp crops and truckers are being arrested for crossing state lines with container loads of harvested industrial hemp for processing, tying up individuals in jail and leaving valuable inventory in limbo.
Currently, nine states – Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, South Dakota, Iowa, Texas, and Connecticut – still prohibit hemp production under any circumstances. And four states – Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas – still prohibit hemp-derived CBD. “For now, transporting hemp across these state lines may still be as dangerous as it’s ever been,” reported science writer Leo Bear-McGuiness in Analytical Cannabis.
Yet, “damn the torpedoes,” U.S. farmers are saying, as they respond to soaring demand by dedicating farmland to hemp cultivation, seeing it as a potential cash crop and an alternative to growing GMO corn, soy, tobacco and other commodity crops.
According to hemp advocacy group Vote Hemp, the U.S. hemp crop tripled in 2018 to 78,176 acres, up from 25,713 acres in hemp cultivation in 2017. That figure is expected to grow now that the Farm Bill has opened the door nationwide to hemp production, says Vote Hemp. Montana emerged as the top hemp growing state in 2018, followed by Colorado, Oregon, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and North Dakota, respectively, according to Vote Hemp.
Learn More
Let’s Talk Hemp – a leading newsletter and podcast by the producer of NoCo Hemp Expo and Southern Hemp Expo
Hemp Business Journal – strategic data and information for the hemp industry
Hemp Industry Daily – news, market research and trade information
Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week – May 20-23, 2019, Washington, DC, featuring a track on organic hemp production
Southern Hemp Expo – September 6-7, 2019, Nashville, TN, the largest exhibition and conference of hemp industry professionals in the East
Natural Products Expo East – September 11-14, 2019, Baltimore, MD, presenting the Natural Products Hemp & CBD Summit
Vote Hemp – representing hemp producers and advocating for hemp policy and regulation
Denver to Host World’s Largest Gathering of Hemp Industry Professionals
Originally Appeared in Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, March 2019
By Steven Hoffman
Hemp is changing the world, and as sales take off for all things hemp – from full spectrum hemp extract and CBD products to foods, textiles, building materials, plastics and more – nearly 10,000 producers, investors, entrepreneurs and others will converge on March 28-30, 2019, at the Crowne Plaza DIA Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, for the 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo.
NoCo Hemp Expo is the largest gathering of hemp industry professionals under one roof. The highly anticipated event includes an expert lineup of speakers plus a pre-conference Investors Forum on March 28, and full day events including a Business Conference on March 29 and Farm Symposium on March 30. An expanded exhibit hall is open for B2B visitors on March 29-30, and to the public on Saturday, March 30. Visit here for ticket info.
Program Highlights
Featured speakers for this year’s NoCo Hemp Expo include Colorado Governor and hemp advocate Jared Polis; Native American tribal leader turned hemp farmer Winona LaDuke; David Bronner, 5th generation CEO of legendary soap maker Dr. Bronner’s; renowned market researcher Dr. Michelle Barry; regenerative agriculture and soil expert Ray Archuleta; hemp expert and author Doug Fine; hemp entrepreneurs Dani Billings of Nature’s Root and Janel Ralph of Palmetto Harmony; and other leaders breaking new ground in the industrial hemp market. For a complete list of speakers, visit here and for a full program schedule, visit here. Other event highlights include:
Hemp Industry Daily Investor Forum, Thursday, March 28, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Legal updates and insights; investment trends and deal flow; opportunities and investments; networking; luncheon and more. Visit here for info.
Let’s Talk Hemp Business Conference, Friday, March 29, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Vertical integration; policy and regulation; compliance and certification; processing and manufacturing; market research; the global business of hemp. Visit here for info.
Let’s Talk Hemp Farm Symposium, Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Regenerative farming; soil health; genetics; new technology and equipment; regulations and compliance. Visit here for info.
Expo Hall, Friday and Saturday, March 29-30, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
With more than 225 exhibitors, NoCo6’s Expo Hall is open to B2B visitors on March 29 and March 30. The Expo Hall is open to consumers and the public on March 30. Features include an Equipment Zone, International Alley, Science & Tech Spotlight, Workshop Stage, Fashion Parade, Art Zone and more. Visit here for info.
After Party, Saturday, March 30, 8:00 pm – Midnight
Hang with friends at the Hemp Renaissance Ball After Party on Saturday, March 30, 8:00 pm – midnight at the Renaissance Hotel – Denver Stapleton. Buy tickets here.
Press Conference, Friday, March 29, 9:00 am – 9:45 am
For media attendees, NoCo Hemp Expo will host a press conference on Friday, March 29, 2019, onsite at the Crowne Plaza DIA Convention Center at 9:00 – 9:45 am, before the conference and exhibition hall opens. To qualify for a Press Pass, journalists, editors and media must complete a press application here.
“We are truly excited to have top leaders, founders and luminaries in the hemp industry participate in and support this year’s NoCo Hemp Expo,” said Morris Beegle, co-founder of Colorado Hemp Company, producer of NoCo6. “With more than 25,000 industrial uses, hemp is a gift to humanity and the environment. We have an incredible opportunity to build the kind of sustainable, regenerative, socially responsible marketplace we want, and NoCo Hemp Expo is where the hemp community convenes to plan and prepare for a bright future.”
Giving Back
NoCo6 provides support to nonprofit organizations including save-the-bees group Bee Heroic; hemp education group the Jack Herer Foundation; and Hemp History Week, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, June 3-9, 2019.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
GenCanna™, is the Presenting Sponsor of NoCo6. Other sponsors include Ambary Gardens, Botanical Rush, Canalysis Laboratories, CV Sciences, Enerhealth Botanicals, Extract Labs, Front Range BioSciences, Hawthorne Gardening, Hempsac, Ingenuity Beverages, Isolate Extraction Systems, Lazarus Naturals, Lilu’s Garden, New West Genetics, ProVerde Laboratories, Pure Hemp Botanicals, RAD Extracts, and Frank Robinson Law Group. Meet all of our Sponsor Partners here: https://nocohempexpo.com/sponsors/.
Tickets Are On Sale Now
Tickets are available for the Pre-Conference Hemp Industry Daily Investment Forum, Let’s Talk Hemp Business Conference, Let’s Talk Hemp Farm Symposium and B2B Industry Day in the Expo Hall. For all ticket levels, information and to purchase tickets, visit our website.
About the NoCo Hemp Expo
The 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company, a division of WAFBA LLC (We Are For Better Alternatives), based in Loveland, CO. WAFBA also is the producer of the 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo and founder of TreeFreeHemp paper and printing services. Areas of focus include product and brand development, event production, consulting and advocacy. Visit NocoHempExpo.com, or visit our YouTube Channel for a video about #NoCo6. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter, #NoCo6.