LEXINGTON, KY (June 3, 2019) — National Hemp History Week kicks off on June 3rd throughout the country and continues through Sunday, June 9th. This year's 10th annual Hemp History Week celebrates the revitalization of the hemp industry and this year’s events have a common theme, “Return of the Plant”.
As our generation looks to write the next chapter of hemp history it is important to reflect on the past with this exciting weeklong event. After more than 80 years of waiting, farmers can once again dedicate their soil and sweat to return hemp plants to their fields. The recent passage of the Farm Bill with the Hemp Farming Amendment removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and legalizes hemp farming in the United States. With the return of the plant, farmers have begun to renew their local farming economies and help to usher in a new market of hemp-made consumer goods.
Progress for the hemp industry has not been perfectly smooth and even since the passing of the Farm Bill there have been many questions about hemp and products made from hemp. Just days before national Hemp History Week, on May 31st, 2019, Elavon Merchant Services kicked thousands of hemp companies off of its credit card processing service. Now, those hemp companies can only accept cash and checks. For some hemp companies, who have a retail store, this situation is an inconvenience. For others, who do their sales online, this development puts their businesses at a stand-still.
This decision from Elavon comes at a peculiar time. The same day that Elavon stopped servicing hemp companies, the FDA held its first-ever public hearing on how to regulate CBD products. The TSA also recently announced that they removed hemp-derived CBD products from their list of restricted items.
Hemp and CBD offer a great opportunity for the Kentucky economy, unfortunately, situations like these slow down the growth significantly. There are still many growing pains for the hemp industry and obstacles like this to overcome. But, this year’s Hemp History Week is a time of celebration for farmers and supporters of the rising hemp industry. Kentucky residents can look forward to these exciting hemp week events:
Historic Paris-Bourbon County Hemp History Celebration Date/Time: 5:00pm-9:00pm on Tuesday, June 4th Location: 902 Main St. Paris, KY 40361 Event Webpage: https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/events/af1dab17-3566-478f-8a5f-d5a4b192232a
Historic Hike to Cleveland-Roger Hemp Mill Date/Time: 10:30am-12:30pm on Tuesday, June 4th Location: 8291 Old Richmond Rd. Lexington, KY 40515 Event Webpage: https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/events/6ea587c9-469b-41ac-b337-4d623406e7ee
BGT Hemp History DeTour: Part 1 (Ashland) Date/Time: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM on Wednesday, June 5th Location: 120 Sycamore Rd. Lexington, KY 40502 Event Webpage: https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/events/fc619622-608a-4834-ad94-b80c6cf207f3
Hemp at the Waveland Mansion Date/Time: 11:00am – 8:00pm on Friday, June 7th Location: 225 Waveland Museum Lane Lexington, KY 40514 Event Webpage: https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/events/120d292f-d251-49c7-8636-d69dd2e6f720
Kentucky Hemp Days Dinner Date/Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm on Saturday, June 8th Location: 1801 Kentucky Highway 36 east Cynthiana, KY 41031 Event Webpage: https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/events/c3069a2b-2531-4160-9778-7d2e5e68d8ec
Kentucky Hemp Days Date/Time: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm on Friday, June 7th and Saturday, June 8th Location: Main Street, Cynthiana KY 41031 Event Webpage: https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/events/eaefcd4c-14fa-4950-877d-d66007d97311
Woodford County Hemp History Day Date/Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm on Sunday June 9th Location: 255 Craigs Creek Rd. Versailles, KY 40383 Event Webpage: https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/events/9886e7a5-5361-4933-b2b2-68e2856b292b
Hemp History Week is the largest educational campaign about hemp in the U.S. The campaign aims to raise awareness about environmental sustainability, health benefits, regenerative agriculture potential, and new technological applications of industrial hemp. Each year in June, hundreds of grassroots hemp supporters and retail stores celebrate hemp during Hemp History Week. Join Hemp History Week in celebration of the Return of the Plant! as we mobilize farmers, advocates, consumers, business owners, and environmentalists across the country to nurture the growth of a robust hemp economy and fertilize the next hundred years of hemp farming in the United States.
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This video provided by Daddy Burt Hemp Co. showcases some of the exciting events from Hemp History Week in Kentucky.