The 2020 Industrial Hemp Summit has added to its speaker line-up Bill Richmond, Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Domestic Hemp Production Program. Richmond leads the team responsible for the establishment and implementation of U.S. domestic hemp production as mandated under the 2018 Farm Bill.
“As the U.S. hemp industry continues to evolve, the guidelines and rules by which our growers, processors and other stakeholders will operate are a critical topic,” said Mark Gignac, Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), which hosts this annual event. “We are pleased that Bill will be able to join us and share the latest updates and plans for this growing industry.”
In his current role, Richmond is responsible for rule making, public education and outreach efforts with state departments of agriculture and Indian tribes. He joined the USDA in 2000 and has held several previous roles. He served as the acting director of the USDA team responsible for establishing labeling rules for bioengineered (GMO) foods in the U.S. Richmond also worked as the Chief of Staff of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service from 2016-2018. He studied agricultural economics at the University of Maryland and holds professional certificates from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Brookings Institution.
The Feb. 24-25, 2020, Industrial Hemp Summit will convene for the third year multiple stakeholders to build the industrial hemp industry in the United States through development of a supply chain and market-making for industrial hemp food, fiber and flower. The Summit will highlight current innovation in the industry, as well as explore what resources and infrastructure are needed to move the industry forward. Industrial hemp is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products, including health and natural food products, supplements, skin products, clothing, bioplastics, insulation, biofuel and more. Thanks to 2018 federal legislation, U.S. growers, processors and others may now consider entering this versatile market as an opportunity for diversification.
The Industrial Hemp Summit has traditionally ranked as a sell-out event. The 2019 summit sold out with more than 200 on the waiting list. Stakeholders from 18 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and the U.S attended, including investors, economic developers, tobacco companies, entrepreneurs, medical companies and others interested in advancing the U.S. industrial hemp market. Maximum attendance will be increased for the 2020 summit. Interested attendees are encouraged to purchase their tickets early to ensure a seat.
The 2020 agenda features a multitude of bioscience experts and topics and can be viewed at www.industrialhempsummit.info.
To register, visit www.industrialhempsummit.info. Tickets are $250, and admission for the Monday night reception only is $50. For questions or more information, please contact (434) 766-6605 or info@industrialhempsummit.info.
PHOTOS from the 2019 Industrial Hemp Summit:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskP7qXji
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmBodG3J
