Get to Know The U.S. Hemp Roundtable

And what hemp laws they’re lobbying for.

The Broccoli Report 
Friday, September 2, 2022
Time to read: 6 minutes, 33 seconds. Contains 1312 words.

Above: Plants at Hudson Hemp

Get to Know The U.S. Hemp Roundtable

Legislative progress around cannabis and hemp may feel like it’s at a standstill, but the gears of influence are always grinding away. One organization working to keep hemp at the forefront of the congressional hivemind is the U.S. Hemp Roundtable (USHR). This nonprofit organization represents about 100 hemp-related businesses and has a staff of full-time lobbyists that talk directly to state and U.S. legislators about the problems and regulatory needs of hemp and CBD-related businesses.  

Some of you reading this may be members—smaller businesses like Recess and Colorado’s Bluebird Botanicals and big dogs like Curaleaf and The Cronos Group, a publicly traded Canadian company, are all part of the USHR. They also include organizations representing bigger groups of brands, including the U.S. Hemp Building Association, the National Cannabis Industry Association, and the California Hemp Council, as well as hemp-interested ancillaries like Flex Payment Solutions. To become a member, companies submit an application and pay dues. Once you’re in, there are regular virtual and in-person member meetings—those often happen in D.C. and are scheduled to coincide with legislative sessions, allowing members to join the lobbyists on the Hill.

Jonathan Miller, general counsel and co-founder of the USHR, spoke with me over the phone about how this organization works and what priorities they’re talking to legislators about right now. Miller has served as a leading advocate for hemp and CBD legislation, having played a significant role in getting the hemp elements into the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, as well as legislation in many state legislatures. Previously, he twice served as Kentucky’s State Treasurer. These days, he spends his time “working with Congress, the White House, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Drug Enforcement Agency to promote policies that advance the industry” and is busy gearing up for the next USHR gathering later this month.

Miller’s been at the table for many influential moments in hemp progress, and he’s got an up-to-date view on the current vibes at the Capitol. Here’s what he had to say about the function of this organization, what they’ll be chatting about with Congress, and what the near future likely holds for federal hemp regulation.

Curious to know what’s happening in the halls of power? Read on.