The National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC) and The Hemp Industries Association® (HIA®) together announced results of a month’s long survey on industry attitudes towards a hemp checkoff program.
The results of the overall survey show that nearly eight out of every 10 farmers and processors support the checkoff program for research, promotion and consumer education. Over six of 10 farmers and processors support being assessed to fund a program.
“This is exciting news for our industry and exciting that there is such wide consensus in our industry to support such a program,” says Patrick Atagi, Board Chairman of the National Industrial Hemp Council. “We believe that a checkoff program will help hemp not only develop markets for hemp products, but also fund much needed research and educate consumers on the usefulness and versatility of hemp.”
“It’s clear from the survey response that there is a broad level of excitement around the idea of a national hemp checkoff program, and significant interest in the potential return the hemp industry could see from an effective research and marketing program under USDA,” says HIA President Rick Trojan. “We in the industry recognize the incredible potential of this agricultural commodity, and there was a strong consensus around the importance of educating the market about the value of hemp across the supply chain for food/grain, fiber, and cannabinoids. It’s encouraging to see the positive feedback this dialogue with the industry has generated so far and we look forward to continuing to partner with the NIHC and other forward-looking allies to explore the tremendous opportunity a national checkoff represents for hemp.”
USDA checkoff programs seek to promote farm commodities and expand market opportunity for farmers, importers, and industry stakeholders. Funded through assessments on the produced commodity at the first point of sale; checkoff programs allow producers of commodities to pool resources for research, education, and promotion efforts that can expand sales and improve production efficiencies.
Currently, USDA Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) oversees 23 checkoff programs for various commodities ranging from cotton to pork to Christmas trees. A study in 2018 by Texas A&M found that the existing 23 checkoffs had a return on investment for farmers and ranchers ranging from three to seventeen dollars in value that came back to the producers for every checkoff dollar invested.
The NIHC and HIA are now working to form a Task Force of representatives from across the industry that would discuss the details of how a hemp checkoff would be structured and operate. The effort of the working group would guide the development of a proposal to submit to the USDA that will include an industry analysis; justification for the program; program objectives; and the impact on small businesses.
The survey received 270 responses and was conducted online via Survey Monkey from November 30, 2020 until December 31, 2020.
NIHC and HIA representatives are holding a media availability to discuss results of the survey and next steps on Wednesday, February 10 at 11 a.m. EST. To RSVP for the zoom link, members of the media can contact Larry Farnsworth with NIHC here.
About the Hemp Industries Association®
Founded in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1994 by a group of hemp business owners and activists, The Hemp Industries Association®(HIA®) is a membership-based non-profit trade association. Its mission is to advance the hemp economy and educate the market for the benefit of our members, the public and the planet.
About the National Industrial Hemp Council
The National Industrial Hemp Council provides high-quality networking and resources for its members, from farm to consumer. Its leadership is composed of leading international, federal, state, private industry, and government professionals throughout the sector. The organization is dedicated to furthering market development, assisting members in entering the industry, and educating consumers on industrial hemp and its applications.
