The 2020 Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) National Hemp Conference held November 12 & 13 online, saw speakers and participants from around the world including Canada, the US, Europe, Latin America, Japan, China, and Australia participate in in-depth sessions on the business of hemp.
“We are so pleased to see that the Canadian hemp industry continues to grow in 2020 despite the challenges posed by COVID-19,” said Keith Jones, CHTA Board Chair. "As one of the most highly regulated crops in Canada, we were pleased to hear that the Canadian government remains firmly behind seeing our industry continue to grow. The speakers from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Health Canada were clear that hemp is here to stay from a regulatory point of view.”
According to incoming CHTA President and Chief Executive Officer Ted Haney, there were more than 92,000 acres of hemp seeded in Canada in 2019 and exports of hemp in 2019 exceeded $110 million – both trending up by almost 20% for 2020. Haney noted that the membership in the CHTA continued to remain strong with more than 270 members from eight provinces across Canada and from a number of foreign countries.
“One of the most important things we do each year is to elect the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting, held the day before our conference,” said Jones. “The members have elected a strong Board with representation from across the country and across the hemp value chain.”
The new Board of Directors features the following volunteers:
Board Chair Keith Jones, Rowland Farms
Past Chair Russ Crawford, Agronomics IT
Vice Chair Clarence Shwaluk, Fresh Hemp Foods
Secretary/Treasurer Ryan Jackson, Folium Biosciences Canada
Director Keanan Stone, Valley Bio Ltd.
Director Tyler Mosher, BC Hop Co.
Director Aaron Barr, Canadian Rockies Hemp Co.
Director Don Dewar, Dewar Farms
Director Jan Slaski, InnoTech Alberta
Director Clarence Shwaluk, Manitoba Harvest
Director Shane Chrapko, Birds & Bees Farmeries
Director Carlos Agudelo, Eko-Terre*
Director Wilson Johnston, Blue Sky Hemp*
Director Jason Finnis, Bast Fibre Technologies*
*Newly Elected
“Changes in our governance were approved by the membership this year, to enable the CHTA to continue to lead as a national agriculture and food industry association, “ explained Jones. “I am pleased to announce the Board’s appointment of Ted Haney as our first President and Chief Financial Officer, effective November 12, 2020”.