Hemp Industry News: U.S. Hemp Authority Webinar Recording, International Hemp Trip, and a USDA Hemp Grant

We made it! Our USHA webinar went off without a hitch. With over 100 attendees, this was our most successful webinar to date. 

Chris Fontes provided an excellent background of the USHA certification, how we came to decide to accept Delta-8 and Delta-9 products, and where we go from here. Chris Ware noted the consumer demand on adult-use products, and the need for adequate testing for these products. Finally, Jena Murray gave thoughts on the benefits for companies to sign up, including how the USHA certification helped get their products onto Walmart shelves. 

If you missed the event, you can find a link to the webinar below!

International Hemp Trip

26 U.S. hemp leaders from 12 organizations, led by the National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC) recently attended the inaugural Tokyo International Hemp Conference. 

The trade mission, supported by a USDA Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) grant, aimed to expand international collaborations, promote U.S. hemp products, and foster sustainable growth in the global hemp market. Through these efforts, U.S. industry leaders had the opportunity to engage with counterparts from Japan, Thailand, and other regions, opening the door for future partnerships and market expansion.

Many of our long-time friends in the industry attended this important international trip. Strengthening relationships with international partners helps legitimize and destigmatize the hemp plant across the world. 

We applaud our industry counterparts for the important work.

NHA Grant from USDA

We’re excited to share the National Hemp Association (NHA) has been awarded a $19.6M grant from the USDA. The grant is apart of the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which is designed to address conservation challenges such as water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat protection. 

NHA plans to prevent water quality degradation and improve aquatic and terrestrial habitat in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by cultivating hemp on up to 5,000 acres per year using selected conservation practices, including contour farming, crop rotation, cover cropping, nutrient management, and no-till. Expected conservation benefits resulting from practice implementation include reduced field nutrient, pesticide, pathogen, and sediment loss and improved aquatic and terrestrial habitat through reduced heavy metal content in soil and water. The project will be supported by iHemp Katalyst, which will contribute over $31M to offset producer costs and serve as the off-take partner

In total, the RCPP awarded $1.5 billion in grants to 92 projects across the country. 

We applaud the USDA for their significant investment in a critical sector of the hemp industry.