Earlier this month, I joined industry leaders and professionals at the first Hemp Industry Daily Conference in New Orleans, LA, which immediately followed a full-day Cannabis Law Session hosted by the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) that I also attended. The Conference occurred over three days, June 12-14, 2019, alongside the MJBizCon Next Conference and Expo. Individuals, professionals and entrepreneurs from all sectors of the industry gathered to discuss the state of the hemp industry and important issues facing individuals and businesses operating today in the cannabis and hemp industries. The following is a recap of many of the key topics covered during the Hemp Conference:
Day 1:
- State of the Hemp Industry
- Hemp Legal Landscape
- USDA, FDA, FTC: What These Federal Agencies Mean to your Business Operations
- Hemp Market Outlook
Day 2:
- After the Farm Bill: Hemp Business Opportunities
- Finding the Right Cultivator
- Investing in Hemp
- Raising Money
- Harvest Strategies
- Strategic Partnership
- Extraction Strategies
- Farm Bill Benefits: New Available Tax & Financial Tools
- Oversupply
- Going Global
- Recycling Hemp Waste into Useable Products
Day 3:
- Branding
- Consumer Safety and Confidence
- Market Opportunities for Hemp Fiber
- CBD
- State Expansion and Interstate Commerce
As you can see, the Conference covered a wide array of timely legal, business, and agricultural issues important for retailers, producers, manufactures, investors, growers and cultivators, among many others, operating across the hemp supply chain. Despite the complex and evolving legal regulatory landscape facing the industry, the Conference sessions and speakers provided encouraging and positive data and information about the hemp market, the future of hemp, and benefits of the 2018 Federal Farm Bill.
My biggest takeaway from the Conference, and the related Cannabis Law Session, is this industry is very complex, and business owners and operators should align and consult with experienced advisors at every stage of your business and with each new venture to minimize risk and liabilities.
