The New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) today announced the official formation of their Hemp Working Group, which is comprised of New Jersey’s foremost experts on hemp and hemp-related policies. The Hemp Working Group is already at work looking at ways to create a robust hemp program in New Jersey. Specifically, the Group is focusing on four key priorities in 2021:
- Engaging with state cannabis regulators
- Advocating for proposed regulations/legislation
- Initiating educational programming
- Promoting safe harbor for resource allocation
“The Hemp Working Group is, to our knowledge, the only organized effort to ensure that the hemp industry is not lost in the development of cannabis regulation,” said NJCBA President Edmund DeVeaux. “The cannabis industry is rapidly expanding in New Jersey, and we must ensure that all aspects are thoroughly examined and thought through. The potential with hemp is limitless, if properly planned out moving forward.”
The NJCBA’s Hemp Working Group is comprised of Faye Coleman, CEO of Pure Genesis; Brett Goldman, Partner at OCan Group, LLC; and Eric Axelson, Owner of Garden State Harvest. All three bring years of familiarity and experience in the hemp industry that can help New Jersey forge its path ahead. The Group will provide its input and feedback to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) and the public in the hopes of helping to craft a strong hemp policy.
“While the discussion in New Jersey has centered largely around cannabis, and understandably so, we cannot ignore the many positive benefits hemp brings to our state. We hope to work with the CRC and the industry in general to create the country’s greatest, most thriving hemp market right here in New Jersey,” said Coleman.
“There are experiences and best practices from other states that we can learn from,” said Goldman. “Taking the best ideas and learning from other’s mistakes, we have enormous potential to make New Jersey a leader in this area. The opportunity is there, now we just have to seize it.”
“We applaud the CRC for their willingness to meet with and listen to the ideas of others. By working together and using everyone’s collective experiences in the market, we can make the hemp industry in New Jersey a shining example for the rest of the country,” said Axelson.
The Group is already at work suggesting methods and ideas to ensure a successful hemp market in New Jersey. Among some of the ideas they have shared with the CRC include reducing production costs for licensed MMP (and Rec) processors and patients in New Jersey, improving access to high quality CBD products for NJ MMP patients, and demonstrating a strong relationship and interoperability between the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the CRC.
