Why HITA Sued the Arizona Attorney General’s Office — and What’s at Stake for the Hemp Industry
At the Hemp Industry Trade Association of Arizona (HITA), we have spent nearly a decade building a compliant, sustainable, and innovative hemp industry in our state. We’ve worked hand in hand with lawmakers, regulators, and entrepreneurs to ensure that Arizona farmers and small businesses can thrive in this emerging sector.
But now, our very industry is under threat—not from bad actors or economic headwinds, but from government overreach.
Why We Filed a Lawsuit Against the Arizona Attorney General
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One Hemp Block at a Time: How Old Pueblo Hemp Co. Is Leading the Way
This past weekend in Tucson, something truly remarkable happened—the Hemp Industry Trade Association (HITA) was proud to be there to witness it, support it, and help capture its impact.
The Second Hemp Building Workshop, hosted by Old Pueblo Hemp Co., wasn’t just an event—it was a bold, hands-on declaration that hemp is here to stay. And it’s building more than structures: it’s building community, careers, regenerative systems, and hope.
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Alternative Horizons Group Joins HITA as a Business Select Member, Bringing Next-Level Business Solutions to the Hemp Industry
With a mission to elevate businesses through finance, strategy, and technology, Alternative Horizons Group provides comprehensive business solutions—ranging from payment processing and fraud prevention to marketing, web development, and regulatory compliance. Their tailored approach ensures hemp businesses and high-risk industries have the tools they need to succeed in a competitive and highly regulated marketplace.
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Arizona AG told stores to stop selling THC-infused products. Hemp industry says regulation is best
his morning, Hemp Industry Trade Association (HITA) Executive Director Sully Sullivan joined NPR’s Mark Brodie to discuss the urgent need for hemp regulation in Arizona. With the Attorney General’s recent announcement, thousands of jobs, small businesses, and rural farmers face uncertainty—despite the fact that hemp is federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill.
During the interview, Sully highlighted how clear, responsible regulations would provide the necessary framework to protect consumers, businesses, and the state’s economy—without conflicting with federal law or interstate commerce protections.
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HITA-AZ Partners with State Affairs to Provide Exclusive Political Intelligence Services for the Hemp Industry
As part of this exclusive initiative, HITA-AZ members and industry stakeholders are invited to a free, 45-minute webinar on April 16, 2025, at 10 AM PT (1 PM ET). This session will introduce participants to the State Affairs platform, demonstrating how it can be a powerful tool for tracking legislation, accessing expert analysis, and receiving timely policy updates. The webinar will include a Q&A session to address specific questions from attendees.
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Urgent Call for Regulation—HITA Responds to Attorney General Office’s Hemp Announcement
The Hemp Industry Trade Association (HITA) is calling on lawmakers to pass hemp regulations this year to provide clarity for the industry and prevent unnecessary enforcement actions that violate federal law and interstate commerce protections.
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HITA Welcomes High Rise Beverage Co™ as their newest Industry Leader Member!
“We are thrilled to welcome High Rise to Arizona and to have them as part of the HITA family,” said Sully Sullivan, Executive Director of HITA. “Their expertise, vision, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our mission to protect and grow Arizona’s hemp industry. As we continue advocating for fair regulations and fostering a thriving marketplace, having innovative leaders like High Rise onboard strengthens our collective efforts.”
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⚾️ High Rise Hits a Home Run at the Ballpark!
⚾️ What a day at the ballpark! We had an amazing time sampling our newest members, High Rise THC-infused beverages during the Arizona Diamondbacks game at Salt River Fields ballpark in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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🌵 Elevado: A Weekend Of Flavors That Can't Be Beat!
What an incredible weekend at the M3Fest in Phoenix! A huge shoutout to Elevado Drinks, the exclusive provider of THC beverages, for leading the way with their handcrafted, micro-dosed THC cocktails.
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Spotlight on Dan Nowell: Pioneering Hemp, Soil, and Sustainability in Arizona
Dan Nowell, a valued HITA member, is a true pioneer in Arizona’s hemp industry, leading the charge in sustainable agriculture. With five years of experience growing hemp in Arizona’s challenging climate, Dan has navigated every obstacle with determination. He is an expert in soil, seed, and water, owning the largest worm farm in the country and dedicating his work to water conservation and regenerative farming.
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Building the Future: How Old Pueblo Hemp is Leading the Way in Sustainable Construction
The Hemp Industry Trade Association of Arizona (HITA) is proud to support Old Pueblo Hemp Company as they continue to pioneer hemp-based construction and education right here in Arizona. This March, founder Micaela Machado and her team are hosting a three-day Hemp Building Workshop in Tucson, Arizona, bringing together experts, enthusiasts, and innovators to explore hempcrete and sustainable building practices.
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Arizona Hemp Wars: Inside the Intense Political and Industry Clash
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.
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Support SB1186 and HB2679
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.
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Arizona Economic Implications of Pro-Hemp Regulation
Arizona is one of many states that is trying to balance public safety and consumer protection with the support of a nascent industry. With the amount of uncertainty and regulator murkiness at the federal level, the hemp industry is hoping states can adopt sensible regulation without being overly burdensome or restrictive or market opportunities. Regulation at the product level, based on intoxication, would allow for the deployment of age verification, testing and labeling regulations, supported by the hemp industry, without inflicting damaging unintended consequences on existing operators, other sectors and ancillary businesses. This would seemingly address many of the public safety concerns, address bad-actors in the space and fulfill many other public policy objectives.
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Arizona’s Hemp Industry Trade Association Debuts to Standing Room Only Crowd at Inaugural Meeting
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.
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CBD. DEA. FDA. CSA. WTF?!?!
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:
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Hemp Takes Center Stage at Industry Get-together
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.
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The Future of Arizona CBD Oil: The Public Speaks And The Department Of Agriculture Listens
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).
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