USDA Appoints Another Hemp Executive To Trade Advisory Committee

Another hemp industry executive has been appointed to a federal advisory committee under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

Patrick Atagi, chairman of the board at the National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC), will serve as a member of USDA’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Tobacco, Cotton and Peanuts, the organization announced on Friday.

He’s the second member of NIHC to join a USDA and USTR advisory panel. Kevin Latner, vice president of marketing for the group, was appointed to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Processed Foods in July.

In their federal advisory roles, the NIHC officials will focus on advocating for trade policies that benefit the burgeoning hemp market.

“I want to thank outgoing USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue for his confidence and look to working with Biden Administration Secretary-designate Tom Vilsack and USTR-designate Katherine Tai,” Atagi said in a press release. “It’s an honor to be asked to serve and I look forward to representing the hemp industry.”

The Board Chairman of the NIHC Patrick Atagi was appointed today to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Tobacco, Cotton & Peanuts by U.S. Department of Agriculture @SecretarySonny and @USTradeRep Robert Lighthizer.

Read more: https://t.co/1u3aenszrXpic.twitter.com/2GLXdzUFkO

— National Industrial Hemp Council (@NatHempCouncil) January 15, 2021

These appointments come at a pivotal time, as USDA just last week released its final rule setting out the federal regulations for hemp that will take effect in March. With two industry experts advising the federal agency, they could bring unique insights that further promote market growth.

Early versions of the agency’s proposed regulations were met with mixed reviews from industry stakeholders. While many appreciated USDA’s efforts to stand up the market, there was widespread criticism from businesses and lawmakers over certain provisions viewed as excessively restrictive such as testing requirements and THC limits.

The final rule doesn’t include everything stakeholders sought, but there were some modifications made throughout the process, including adding flexibility in THC testing and extending the sampling window.

These aren’t necessarily areas where the NIHC appointees will be directly involved, but they could help inform regulations from a trade perspective.

Under a trade deal signed last year, China will be required to buy a lot more hemp from the U.S.

Even as USDA crafted its rules and built up these advisory committees, it has spent past months reviewing and approving numerous state and tribal regulatory proposals—most recently for Rhode Island.

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