KYHIA to Rebrand and Create All-Inclusive Statewide Hemp Organization

NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT
For Immediate Release

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY (August 20, 2020) — The Kentucky Hemp Industries Association (KYHIA) will change its name and rebrand as a new organization in the coming weeks after the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) closed all thirteen of its state chapters, including the Kentucky chapter. After talks broke down with the HIA’s leadership over misuse of funds, unpaid dues that the national HIA owed to the state chapters, and disputes over the amount of dues owed, the decision was made by the KYHIA Board of Directors to consult with other Kentucky hemp organizations and create a new state-focused organization.

The current KYHIA leadership is very excited and optimistic to move forward and continue their organization’s current efforts focused specifically on Kentucky. The new organization will still work in unison with other states’ hemp industry leaders and join forces to continue working on key issues within the state and nationally. The new name of the organization will be announced once talks with other hemp associations and supporters are concluded this month and the current board approves new bylaws and other documents.

“We are excited to move forward with rebranding under a new name and could not be more thrilled to do it with unanimous support from our board. We still have a big hill to climb to continue reaching our goals as an industry, however we feel our team has become a lot stronger after collaborating and consulting with other leaders within our state. We look forward to this new endeavor and are dedicated to continuing our efforts to serve our members and the Kentucky hemp industry,” KYHIA President, Tate Hall, said. “As we embark on this new journey as an association, we want to thank all of those who have shown interest in joining forces, and we welcome input from farmers and stakeholders who want to help make hemp a more viable commodity for all Kentucky farming families.”

KYHIA Vice President, Jana Groda, reinforced Mr. Hall’s sentiment, “After months of fruitless negotiations, we’re excited to be free to forge our own path and continue to pursue the goal of re-establishing Kentucky as the national leader in the hemp industry. Taking this action, allows us to focus on the work we are passionate about in Kentucky while working alongside other state and national organizations to help revive America’s historic hemp industry.” 

The KYHIA has been the leading educational and advocacy outlet for hemp in Kentucky while promoting Kentucky hemp products and brands over the past five years. The KYHIA is a 501(c)(6) membership-based non-profit trade association. KYHIA members include hemp researchers, farmers, processors, product developers, manufacturers, distributors, marketers, advocates, educators and other industry supporters.

For more information about joining the new organization, email: info@kyhempassociation.org.

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