Discussions on THC and Beer Dominate NBWA’s 87th Annual Event.
The Hemp Beverage Alliance had the honor of presenting to the national gathering of the National Beer Wholesalers Association last week. Beverage Dynamics picked up the story here. From the article:
“The state-by-state changes are significant and it’s something that we’re always looking at,” he said. “I think all of our brands recognize the value of having these products in retail environments, especially next to their competitors. There is a huge growth opportunity for brick-and-mortar distribution.”
Pacific Hemp Beverage Summit
HBA members in the PNW are hosting the Pacific Hemp Beverage Summit in Bend, Oregon. Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler welcomed the group, Sen. Wyden provided the keynote address, and this afternoon is packed with industry leaders and regulators from around the country.
Click here for a preview story from the local news.
Submit your comments to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The Hemp Beverage Alliance today submitted comments to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regarding their proposed comments for hemp beverages.
We strongly encourage HBA members (and non-members) to amplify our recommendations by submitting comments of your own that 1) reflect your perspective and 2) encourage the solutions proposed by HBA.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT
Click here for suggested language and copy/paste it into an email.
At the beginning of the message, add a paragraph or two about your personal/professional experience, concerns, commitment to safety, etc. The more you can personalize/tell your own story, the better. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Suppliers - How are you making quality products and marketing them in a responsible manner?
Retailers - How are customers reacting when they hear about this new product?
Distributors - How will hemp beverages help your business?
Supply chain - How are you taking steps to make sure products are safe and of the highest possible quality?
Once you’ve added your personal story, send your message via this portal:
https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=5K-4.034Please note: If you do not include a personal touch to the email, you can still just send it as is. The important thing is that you send it out in a timely manner.
WHEN TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT
Do not delay in sending your comments. Please make this a priority and send as soon as possible. In a perfect world, you’d send out your comments shortly after we submit our comments on October 9.
The deadline to submit comments is October 16..
WHY YOU SHOULD SUBMIT COMMENTS
The regulations by the Department will have a significant, negative impact on our industry.
If we collectively support common solutions, there is a greater chance that our recommendations will be considered.
Rule-making is an important part of the process but it only works when we all participate.
WHO SHOULD SUBMIT COMMENTS
Public comments are open to everyone. You don’t need to be part of the industry to make a comment. That said:
Everyone who is in the industry absolutely should take a moment to make a comment.
CAN I GIVE MY COMMENTS IN PERSON?
To our knowledge, there is not a public hearing scheduled for these rules.
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
Hit up our #florida Slack channel
Hemp Beverage Alliance in Benzinga.
We got.a nice shout out in Benzinga today re: our discussion with Pablo Zuanic last week. Thank you to all who participated and listened in. See you all at Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference tomorrow! The #futureofdrinking is #hempinfused.
What is the future of hemp?
The Hemp Beverage Alliance participated in a virtual roundtable discussion moderated by Pablo Zuniac of Zuniac & Associates. Participants discussed the Farm Bill, the Wyden Bill, and current trends in hemp product manufacturing and distribution.
Click here to watch & listen on YouTube.
A hemp beverage ban in California would be catastrophic
Members of the Hemp Beverage Alliance were interviewed by the Los Angeles Times about the proposed emergency ban in California. Click here to read the LA Times story.
In addition to interviewing members, the story highlighted the Hemp Beverage Festival and Conference we held back in June.
Some states have embraced the trend. In Minnesota, one projection estimates hemp drinks could eventually generate $200 million per year in sales. The state has enacted registration and testing requirements. A hemp beverage festival in Minneapolis in June allowed members of the public to sample dozens of brands. "No smoking," read the flier.
If you can’t get through the paywall, the story has been picked up by the Walla-Walla Union Bulletin.
Hemp Beverage Alliance comments on proposed emergency regulations in California.
The Hemp Beverage Alliance is the trade association representing more than 175 beverage brands and supply chain partners in the United States and Canada.
The Alliance submitted comments to the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and the Department of Public Health (CDPH) urging OAL to deny CDPH’s proposed emergency regulations on hemp products.
Click here to read the Hemp Beverage Alliance’s comments.
Since its founding in 2023, the Hemp Beverage Alliance and its members have advocated and instituted best practices that have resulted in a safe, thriving industry across the country. These principles include:
Age restriction - Hemp beverages are adult beverages and are labeled and sold accordingly. Hemp beverages are overwhelmingly sold in locations where adult beverages are sold, which means they are age-gated to prevent children from accessing them. Many packages include a 21+ logo or equivalent information to alert consumers that these are adult beverages. Suppliers, wholesalers and retailers all are committed to age-gating these products.
Safety - The safety of the consumer is paramount and is the driving force in the industry. Hemp beverages are made in certified facilities and adhere to best practices in manufacturing.
Testing - Products are thoroughly tested throughout the production process to ensure the absence of contaminants as well as accurate cannabinoid levels.
Labeling - Hemp beverage labels empower the consumer to make smart choices. Labels include appropriate warnings, cannabinoid milligram counts, listings of total ingredients, a QR code that refers consumers to testing data, and information to easily contact the company.
Serving size - Hemp beverages incorporate cannabinoid levels that are safe, effective, and provide value to the consumer.
Hemp beverages are non-alcoholic seltzers, teas, sodas and mocktails infused with hemp-derived cannabinoids that are increasing in popularity among responsible adults.The Hemp Beverage Alliance advocates several best practices to steer this new industry, including ensuring products are kept away from children; clear labeling that empowers the consumer; reasonable taxation; and sensible milligram levels in products.
ABOUT
The mission of the Hemp Beverage Alliance is to create a safe and thriving industry through education, advocacy, best practices and partnership. We achieve this mission by providing consumers, retailers, and distributors with the information they need to better understand the industry; developing best practices to create consistency in labeling and manufacturing; working with elected officials and regulators to encourage common-sense regulation; and collaborating with marijuana and alcohol industries to create a marketplace that benefits everyone. More at hempbeveragealliance.org.
Hemp Beverage Alliance in CBD Oracle
We spoke with Lee Johnson of CBD Oracle last week to discuss the misguided policies happening in California.
“Hemp beverages are low-dose products that are designed and marketed to adults only. As an industry, we strongly encourage retailers to age-gate/check IDs. Labels indicate that the products contain hemp-derived THC and include information to empower the consumer, including a QR code so customers can see the test results.”
Read the whole story at CBD Oracle.
California should adopt proven hemp beverage regulations
Minnesota is an excellent model for hemp beverage legislation. We hope the Golden State will look to the North Star state as a guide for moving forward.
Read more about the story at Food Ingredients First.
Hemp Beverage Alliance sponsors Pacific Hemp Beverage Summit
(BEND, Ore.) The Hemp Beverage Alliance is proud to sponsor the inaugural Pacific Hemp Beverage Summit on October 11, 2024.
Organized by local hemp beverage brands Shift Naturals, Ablis and Altitude Functional Beverages, the summit will provide education, networking and collaboration opportunities for hemp beverage suppliers, distributors, and retailers in the Pacific Northwest.
"Hemp beverages continue to capture the imagination of adult consumers across the country," said Christopher Lackner, president, Hemp Beverage Alliance. "We are honored to support the Pacific Hemp Beverage Summit and champion the responsible development of this industry in the PNW."
The summit will take place at Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend, Oregon 97703. Programming will include panel discussions and workshops with regulatory experts from around the region and the country, local supply chain partners, and HBA leadership. The event will conclude with networking, sampling and live music.
"Bend is the region's hub for beverage innovation, collaboration, and sustainability," said conference organizer Thomas Angel, Altitude Functional Beverages. "We welcome everyone to our perfect part of the world to learn more about the future of drinking."
Registration is now open at www.PHBSummit.com.
The summit follows the Hemp Beverage Alliance's successful conference & festival in Minneapolis, which brought together hundreds of industry leaders from around the Midwest and concluded with Mayor Jacob Frey proclaiming June 8 “Hemp Beverage Day” in the city.
About the Organizers
Altitude Functional Beverages, Ablis, and Shift Naturals are leading hemp beverage producers in the Pacific Northwest. The host facility, Silver Moon Brewing, regularly provides support and collaborative opportunities and events for beverage producers of all categories beyond the craft beer space.
About the Hemp Beverage Alliance
The mission of the Hemp Beverage Alliance is to create a safe and thriving industry through education, advocacy, best practices and partnership. We achieve this mission by providing consumers, retailers, and distributors with the information they need to better understand the industry; developing best practices to create consistency in labeling and manufacturing; working with elected officials and regulators to encourage common-sense regulation; and collaborating with cannabis and alcohol industries to create a marketplace that benefits everyone. More at hempbeveragealliance.org.