National Hemp Growers Cooperative hosted the two-day event
By Jack Criss
The Bolivar Bullet
The National Hemp Growers Cooperative (NHGC) hosted a Field Day in Mound Bayou and mini-conference in Cleveland on Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7. The two-day event gave local growers the opportunity to learn about industrial hemp, regenerative agriculture, and more from industry experts and experienced growers.
On the first day of the event in Mound Bayou, attendees were given a demonstration of industrial hemp planting and regenerative planting processes on location at the Alcorn State University Demonstration Farms. At this exhibition, experts provided first-hand, up close knowledge on planting industrial hemp and how regenerative agriculture can benefit growing conditions. Following this presentation, attendees gathered for a networking welcome dinner at the West End District in Cleveland.
The second day, a State of the Industrial Hemp Industry Conference took place at the West End District also, featuring experts from across the United States. Leaders in the industry will hosted various sessions educating growers on industrial hemp and its many uses from textiles and building materials to bioplastics and bioenergy. Additionally, the NHGC also hosted a session on industrial hemp for carbon credits that are crucial to growers in the hemp industry.
“Industrial hemp is misunderstood. It is not marijuana,” emphasized Alcorn State speaker, Dr. Bruckner. “Our job is to educate our communities about its benefits, especially as they relate to its importance as an eco-friendly, sustainable, durable, long lasting building material which also has many additional industrial applications.”
The Field Day event was co-hosted by the US Hemp Building Association, the Global Hemp Association, the US Hemp Roundtable, and the National Center for Appropriate Technology. The harvest of industrial hemp grown as a result of the Field Day event will be processed and used to manufacture a soon-to-be-announced product. This will be auctioned to raise money for the Minority Empowerment Committee of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable to support minority industrial hemp growers across the country.
“Our goal is to provide industrial hemp growers and potential industrial hemp growers with the knowledge and resources that they need to succeed and grow wealth,” says NHGC Managing Partner, Nick Walters, who was formally well known as a noted Mississippi political strategist. “This Field Day event allowed us to give growers hands-on experience and present expert knowledge on industrial hemp and regenerative agriculture. It was exciting for us to be in the Delta because there is no doubt that there will be benefits for area farmers. We’re building wealth for our members and the products and various uses that can be created by hemp are incredible, especially in textiles and building materials” noted Walters.
The NHGC, based in Jackson and started in the fall of 2019, is an organization of hemp farmers and industry leaders that provides members with insight, connections, and resources to succeed in the industrial hemp industry.
For more information on the NHGC, please visit their website at www.nationalhempcoop.us.