Key Takeaways:
- U.S. Hemp Roundtable introduced the National Farmer Advisory Council to support hemp farmers and advocate for industry growth
- The Council will advise on policy decisions at both state and federal levels
- Farmers currently make up more than 24% of the $28.4 billion hemp industry
- Brian Furnish of Kentucky and Ken Meyer of South Dakota will lead the Council
- The initiative emphasizes sensible regulations to protect farmers, consumers, and the marketplace
U.S. Hemp Roundtable Announces Farmer Council
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable has established its National Farmer Advisory Council, an initiative designed to strengthen the role of American hemp farmers and promote policies that encourage industry growth. At its launch, the Council included 33 members from 18 states, highlighting broad geographic representation.
The Council will provide input to federal and state leaders as they consider legislation and regulatory frameworks that affect hemp farmers and the wider hemp industry.
Leadership and Goals
The National Farmer Advisory Council will be co-led by Brian Furnish of Kentucky, President of Global Production at Ananda Hemp, and Ken Meyer of South Dakota, Co-Founder of Complete Hemp Processing. Both leaders emphasized the importance of science-based regulations and the need to avoid policies that would negatively impact farmers.
“Growers have adapted over time, investing countless hours and dollars into building sustainable operations that support a diverse marketplace for hemp,” said Furnish. “Instead of hampering these opportunities with misguided policy changes, Congress should celebrate farmers for their innovation.”
Meyer added that collaboration between the Farmer Council and lawmakers will be critical to ensuring continued economic opportunities for farmers, businesses, and consumers.
Hemp Industry Context
Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp products containing low levels of THC, the industry has grown into a $28.4 billion market. Farmers account for $6.86 billion of this figure, representing more than 24% of the total marketplace. Compared with other crops such as soybeans at 15% and corn at 8%, hemp has provided a higher share of profits directly to farmers.
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable highlighted that maintaining grain, floral, and fiber markets is essential for farmer profitability and risk management. Uniform standards for manufacturing, testing, labeling, and packaging, as well as age restrictions to prevent inappropriate consumption, were cited as priorities for regulatory consideration.
