The National Hemp Association will participate alongside New Holland at 16 national farm shows throughout North America, delivering educational sessions and panel discussions, as well as exhibiting the variety of products produced from hemp.

The alliance will also work toward solving the industry’s biggest challenge: the absence of commercial scale harvesting and decortication equipment needed to meet demand. In order to begin laying the foundation of an integrated North American hemp supply chain, the alliance will call on other industry partners to join a “Hemp Pledge” and commit to purchasing hemp grown and processed in the U.S. by U.S. farmers.

Brett Davis, vice president, New Holland, North America, said:

“We see this exclusive partnership as a way to bring the nation’s leading hemp advocates and educators to events where they can respond to the issues of most concern to farmers, manufacturers, processors and the general public. It will also provide New Holland with the opportunity to hear from our dealer network, our customers and the more than 115,000 farmers who are looking to New Holland to bring forward supply chain solutions. The National Hemp Association has also committed to creating and funding a new “Hemp Farmer Educational Fund” to assist farmers with agricultural, regulatory and production issues related to converting to hemp production.”

“We know that the biggest challenge facing this crop and restricting its return is commercial scale harvesting and decortication equipment,” says NHA chair and PAHIC president Geoff Whaling. “Without that solution, all of the promise for hemp – for the food, feed, construction, automotive, energy and textile industry – will not be realized. Our partnership with New Holland Agriculture will be the beginning steps towards that end.”

“This Pennsylvania-rooted partnership is very big step to building the national supply chain,” says U.S. Sen. Judy Schwank of Pennsylvania, the leading proponent of industrial hemp legislation in the Pennsylvania Senate. “Together we need to provide any legislative fixes that are necessary as well as ensure the resources and tools are available to assist and help the industry move forward.”

Source: New Holland

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