Washington D.C., Feb. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Hemp Association (NHA) held its annual general meeting to celebrate its achievements and collaborations in the hemp industry over the past year while celebrating its victories over its 10 year operations. The NHA has been at the forefront of advocating for hemp in regenerative agriculture, climate-smart practices, food security, additive manufacturing, and housing stability.
New Board Members Announced: The NHA board has elevated members from its standing committees to full board membership. The NHA welcomes Faye Coleman, Courtney Moran, and Pablo Fallo as new board members. Courtney Moran will also serve as Legislative Counsel.
Collaborations: The NHA's advocacy and outreach efforts have made it the first non-profit hemp organization to be members of FACA, the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, and founding members of the Ag Bioeconomy. The NHA is also an alliance partner with the Cool Farm Alliance and the Hemp Feed Coalition.
Industry Stakeholders: The NHA is advocating for a Grain and Fiber Hemp Exemption due to costly fees, overbearing regulations and restrictions, and removing the stigma surrounding cannabis. Support for this exemption has echoed throughout the industry and, the NHA is grateful to members of Congress for their leadership and for the supportive voices of advocates.
Research and Development: The NHA's sister 501(C)(3) organization, Hemp Innovations Foundation (HIF) awarded $15,000 to the Hemp Recycles project. HIF contributes to raise funds for other research, including hemp biochar research and a documentary series.
Member Benefits: The NHA added a new member benefit in the form of an interview series called "In Conversation With," where members are interviewed and their companies or organizations are explored in depth. The NHA's newsletter now features clickable logos of business members, directing subscribers to their company websites. The NHA job board will allow the public to search for industry jobs and post resumes, and NHA members will receive special discounts on job postings.
International Efforts: NHA Chair, Geoff Whaling, and the Standing Committee of International Hemp Organizations (SCIHO) participated in multiple international events in 2022 to promote industrial hemp as a solution to agricultural challenges and build confidence in its potential. This included hosting a delegation from Honduras, attending the UN General Assembly High Week and NYC Climate Week, speaking at the UN FAO Global Food Security Summit, and hosting a luncheon for the President of Costa Rica, whose nation recently adopted hemp legislation. The growing international interest is in direct response to the work that NHA and hemp advocates undertook to return industrial hemp as a legal commodity crop in the United States. With the fear of US retaliation gone, The NHA’s International Standing Committee’s goal is to raise awareness about industrial hemp within global NGO’s, advocate for the rescission of policies and help with the development of legislation and regulations that are consistent with U.S. policy so to develop a global market and, encourage industrial hemp’s use to address global challenges for food, feed, fuel, and climate mitigation.
2023 Farm Bill Key Initiatives: NHA has already begun the process of working with the 218th Congress and is championing the Grain and Fiber Hemp Exemption, hemp grain for animal feed, and a 1% THC limit.
Whole of Government Approach: The NHA is advocating for a Whole of Government Approach to Hemp for the 2023 Farm Bill. The NHA has presented its position to Congress, including a request for the FDA to publish clear and reasonable regulations for CBD and other hemp-derived cannabinoids, as well as for the Department of Justice/Homeland Security to stop confiscation of legally imported industrial hemp.
Whaling, who has chaired NHA for 6 years stated during his AGM remarks “Farmers want to grow hemp and manufacturers around the globe are looking to incorporate sustainable natural fibers, like industrial hemp, into the products they produce. Addressing the issues of how we get there from here, knowing that industrial hemp has been absent our landscape for 80 years, is NHA’s number 1 priority.”
About the National Hemp Association:
NHA is rooted in the knowledge that hemp can provide a wide range of opportunities, from field to factory, and has a global Total Addressable Market (TAM) of 15 trillion dollars. Hemp has an important role to play in creating a better and more sustainable future and for hemp to reach its potential, we advocate for sensible public policy and regulation. We are also facilitators in building reliable supply chains by seeking out others we can work with to further our mutual objectives as well as connecting people and businesses to help them reach their individual and collective goals.
NHA is a Grass Roots Advocacy organization celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2023! www.nationalhempassociation.org
