NIHC is thrilled to announce the final speaker lineup for the 2019 Hemp Business Summit in Portland, Oregon on August 12-13. At NIHC’s inaugural event, attendees will network and learn from individuals throughout the hemp industry supply chain, as well as state and federal decision makers.

NIHC is proud to have the Honorable Jeff Merkley, US Senator from Oregon, delivering a congressional keynote address on the second day of the Summit. Senator Merkley has been a leader in Congress, pushing for fair and equal treatment of the hemp industry. Keynote speakers include:

• The Honorable Jeff Merkley, US Senator
• Lowell Schiller, JD, Principal Associate Commissioner for Policy, Food and Drug Administration
• Greg Ibach, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP), United States Department of Agriculture
• Kate Greenberg, Commissioner of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Agriculture
• Ed Elfmann, Senior Vice President of Agricultural and Rural Banking Policy, American Bankers Association
• Jay Noller, Director and Lead Researcher, Oregon State University Global Hemp Innovation Center

The remainder of the lineup features experts from every sector of industry including growers, banking, insurance, and research.

• Brie Abramowicz, Director of Product, Phylos
• Amy Ansel, Founder/CMO, Titan Bioplastics
• Cathy Bartels, Senior Vice President – Insurance Services, Northwest Farm Credit Services
• Scott Bennett, Director, Congressional Relations, American Farm Bureau Federation
• Valentin Celaya, Sr. Vice President – Credit, Northwest Farm Credit Services
• Steve Groff, M.D., Chairman, Groff North America
• Steven Howe, Cannabis Program Specialist, Washington Department of Agriculture
• John McFerson, Vice President of Plant Breeding, Phylos
• Pat Miller, Director, State Affairs, American Seed Trade Association
• Linda Navarro, President & CEO, Oregon Bankers Association
• Michael Nepveux, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation
• Eli Shalom, Owner, Artisan Hemp
• David Stimpson, Seed Laboratory Manager, Oregon State University
• Christopher Strunk, Of Counsel, Beveridge & Diamond
• Sunny Summers, Cannabis Policy Coordinator & Special Projects, Oregon Department of Agriculture
• Ben Thiel, Risk Management Agency, United States Department of Agriculture
• Callie Uhan, Certification Officer, Oregon Tilth
• Angela Wartes-Kahl, Fiber & Textile Coordinator, Oregon Tilth
• Tyler Williams, Vice President of Operations, ASI Food Safety
• Andrew Wood, Business Development Manager, ASI Food Safety
• Gwendolyn Wyard, Vice President, Regulatory and Technical Affairs, Organic Trade Association
• Gordon Zimmerman, President & CEO, Citizens Bank

SOURCE National Industrial Hemp Council