The estimated $28.4 billion hemp industry, as reported by Forbes, underscores the significant economic impact and consumer demand driving this sector. Total demand potential for hemp products in Arizona is an estimated $699M. The post-regulated Arizona hemp market would create 8,091 jobs, pay approximately $324.8M in wages, and generate up to $39.1M in sales taxes.

These hemp-derived products are legal at the federal and state level, but currently have no regulatory oversight. The federal Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill clearly and unambiguously defines these products as legal so long as they are no greater than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. Rulings of multiple state and federal courts have clarified and confirmed that hemp-derived products are legal at the state and federal level.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (April 19, 2019) — The business of hemp has officially arrived in Arizona. The state’s newest business-to-business organization, Hemp Industry Trade Association of Arizona (HITA-AZ), debuted to a standing room only crowd of more than 350 agricultural experts, business leaders and entrepreneurs on April 11th in Scottsdale.

HITA-AZ is the first hemp-specific, non-governmental agricultural organization in the state. Co-founded by hemp experts Sully Sullivan, Laura Franklin and Danielle Sedgwick, the inaugural meeting featured six high-profile hemp experts including policy makers from the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Last May, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1098 which allows the department to license qualified applicants to grow and process industrial hemp in the state commencing in summer 2019.

Written By: Gary Michael Smith, Esq.

Hemp is returning to America’s farms after decades of prohibition, and CBD (THC’s less fun non-psychoactive cousin) is all the rage.  These new hemp and CBD industries seek clarity out of the schizophrenic alphabet soup of federal agencies and regulations.  Small wonder there is confusion, because through the end of 2018, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”) was saying one thing, the federal Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) another, and Congress had to step in and calm it all down.  Know that this is still subject to change, but here is where things currently stand:

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (April 3, 2019) — Movers and shakers from Arizona’s emerging hemp industry are invited to the first official monthly meeting of The Hemp Industry Trade Association of Arizona (HITA-AZ) on Thursday, April 11th, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Modern Grove Views at OdySea in the Desert, located at 9500 E. Via De Ventura in Scottsdale.

For more information visit www.hita-az.org or connect with the organization on Instagram and Facebook. 

Hot on the heels of rumors circulating about the Arizona Department of Health Service's potential ban on out-of-state CBD (potentially prohibiting Arizona dispensaries from purchasing CBD from out-of-state suppliers,) the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) held their second official session of the Industrial Hemp Program Rules Committee (IHPRC).