Hemp Industries Association Presents 21st Annual Conference and Hemp Lobby Day in Washington, DC

Source: sys-con.com

Hemp Industry Leaders, Experts and Entrepreneurs Gather for Two-Day Event to Discuss Progress and New Goals for U.S. Hemp Industry

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 21^st annual conference of the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) will be held Sunday, September 21 – Monday, September 22, 2014, at the Phoenix Park Hotel inWashington, DC. Business leaders and farmers in the hemp industry in North America and from abroad will meet during the two-day event to discuss strategies and plans to legalize industrial hemp and return hemp to the American agrarian landscape once again. The conference will include expert speakers, hemp exhibits and sales, luncheon, silent auction, networking dinner, presentations, panel discussion and updates on industry developments and expanding markets for hemp products. Speakers from the hemp industry and movement will present at the conference including Doug Fine, author of Hemp Bound, John Roulac, President of Nutiva, Steve Allin, featured speaker and author of Building with Hemp, Christina Volgyesi, Marketing Director of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, and other leaders in the hemp industry.

Conference Schedule:

Sunday, September 21	Monday, September 22
8:00am: Registration begins	8:00am-5:00pm: Hemp Lobby Day on Capitol Hill
9:00am-6:00pm: Conference events	5:00pm-6:30pm: Congressional Hemp Reception
7:30pm: Dinner

The 21^st conference occurs at a significant moment in hemp history, as the first legal hemp harvests in the U.S. in decades will be taking place inColorado, Kentucky and Vermont this fall. Exceeding $581 million in 2013 annual sales according to SPINS market data and HIA estimates, hemp is among the fastest growing categories for food and consumer products in the U.S. In addition to presentations on hemp manufacturing, agronomy, and other industry issues, a special panel discussion focusing on new cannabidiol (CBD) research and its market potential will take place on Sunday.

"The annual Hemp Industries Association conference is an opportunity for leaders in the hemp industry and hemp legalization movement to come together, to discuss new developments in the industry, share insights and knowledge about the production and processing of hemp, and create strategy for the hemp legalization movement in the U.S.," said Eric Steenstra, Executive Director of Hemp Industries Association. "The harvests taking place in Kentucky and Colorado this fall have created a great deal of momentum and inspiration on the issue—and we're confident word of these successful harvests and the growth in the hemp industry will be welcome news to legislators in Congress yet considering supporting The Industrial Hemp Farming Act."

For more information about presentations, speakers, HIA conference schedule, attendance details and updates for this event, please visit the HIA website: http://thehia.org/2014-HIA-conference-washingtondc.html.

The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) represents the interests of the hemp industry and encourages the research and development of new hemp products.  More information about hemp's many uses and hemp advocacy may be found at www.TheHIA.org andwww.VoteHemp.com. 

SOURCE Hemp Industries Association