NC Industrial Hemp Commission Set to Finalize Proposed

SPRING HOPE, NC--(Marketwired - Jan 19, 2017) - Hemp, Inc. ( OTC PINK : HEMP ) executives are pleased to report that the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Commission (NCIHC) is only a few weeks away from finalizing the rules and regulations on the cultivation of hemp in North Carolina since it last convened on December 22, 2016. According to the article NC Nears Finalizing Rules Regarding the Growing of Hemp, published 1/12/17 on wncn.com , "about 80 people interested in the hemp industry attended a public forum to comment on the proposed rules" last week. The commission will accept written comments about the rules through January 27, 2017 and hopes to finalize the rules and regulations next month. (Licenses could be issued as soon as spring.) Once finalized, the Commission will be able to accept applications and issue permits for people to grow hemp as part of the state's pilot program.

Hemp, Inc. executives say the spring planting of industrial hemp is contingent on how soon NCIHC finalizes the rules and regulations. However, now that the rules are, at least, on the table "the Commission can go full speed ahead," said Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. ( OTC : HEMP ). "I believe North Carolina is poised to be the leading hemp growing state in North America and am confident that as the hemp market develops, farmers will see this as a viable alternative crop. Right now, more than 30 nations grow industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity. Once hemp is de-scheduled and removed from the Controlled Substances Act, I believe the tables will turn and the U.S. could be the largest exporter of hemp instead of the largest importer. Moreover, Hemp, Inc. has the infrastructure in place to process hemp on a large scale."

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here . (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

With the country's largest industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation underway, Hemp, Inc. ( OTC PINK : HEMP ) is strategically positioned as the leader of the re-emerging industrial hemp industry to process industrial hemp and manufacture products made from hemp, as well as Lost Circulation Material (LCM) and other absorbent materials. Hemp, Inc. has also established "The Hemp University" to cover topics such as hemp cultivar strains, agronomy, permaculture, and more which will be taught by experts and specialist from all over the country.

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here . (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

The Hemp University has been established to educate its attendees on key topics such as transitioning from traditional farming to organic farming, different hemp cultivar strains, how and where to get certified seeds, planting and harvesting industrial hemp, an in depth history of hemp and its many uses, agronomy, permaculture, ecological advantages and many more courses with an ever expanding curriculum. Hemp, Inc. ( OTC : HEMP ) has secured an outstanding lineup of experts from at least a dozen states all over the country, including New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon and Kentucky.

For those interested in attending, teaching, touring the hemp field and hemp processing facility or showcasing your company's hemp products, at The Hemp University, visit www.thehempuniversity.com .

David Schmitt, COO of Hemp, Inc.'s wholly-owned subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC, which houses the 70,000 square-foot processing facility in Spring Hope, North Carolina, said the milling portion of the facility should be operational very soon. "We have all the machinery wired. Once the county rep comes out to do the final inspection, we'll be able to power up the transformer. I'm fairly confident we'll be able to do this very soon. This will be huge for the company."

Schmitt is also on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association ( NCIHA ). The NCIHA was the organization that tirelessly petitioned to create the North Carolina hemp bill and helped to get it passed and helped with the final ratified bill that is now law in North Carolina. NCIHA has many initiatives in progress to help speed the cultivation and use of industrial hemp. To join the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association, click here .

Jeff Cartonia, Board Advisor to the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association (NCIHA), says they will continue to increase awareness of the hemp plant's properties and uses. NCIHA represents about 900 farmers and businesses with interests in growing hemp. When "people think back to the 60s and 70s, they think hemp, they think cannabis, they think marijuana, but this is an agricultural crop. This is food, this is fiber, this is not any type of any recreational (drug) thing," said Cartonia. "Hemp is an up-and-coming industry that can have a great economic stimulus and impact." With more families going green, farmers see the lucrative opportunity in the environmentally sustainable hemp crop than with any other crop.

Cartonia also praised the Industrial Hemp Commission for coming up with a cooperative and diplomatic set of rules and regulations in such a short period of time. According to Cartonia, that was "nothing short of a miracle." The 9-member Commission, that was tasked with establishing the rules and regulations for the state's agricultural program to grow or cultivate industrial hemp, pursuing permits or waivers from the United States Drug Enforcement Agency or any other federal agency as necessary, issuing licenses in order to cultivate industrial hemp for commercial purposes (to the extent allowed by federal law), laying out an administrative support system for the process of submitting applications and other tasks.

Per the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services , the 9-member Commission consists of: Sandy Stewart, Vice Chair (Commissioner's designee); Pat Short (Ag appointed); Fen Rascoe (Ag appointed); Billy McLawhorn (Ag appointed); Guy Carpenter (Ag appointed); Chief Tony Godwin, Town of Cary (Senate); Sheriff Sam Page, Rockingham County (House appointed); Prof. Tom Melton, NCSU (Governor appointed); and, Dr. Guochen Yang, NC A&T State University (Governor appointed).

HEMP, INC. TO GROW 3,000 ACRES OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP With a signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Mullen View Farms and one with John Finch Farms in North Carolina, Hemp, Inc.'s wholly owned subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC (IHM), in Spring Hope, NC will be growing a total of 3,000 acres of industrial hemp, this year. According to the signed LOI with Mullen View Farms, IHM will purchase 1,000 acres of raw hemp that is to be harvested at various locations throughout eastern North Carolina, this year. The signed LOI with John Finch Farms stipulates IHM shall purchase 500 acres of raw hemp stock from John Finch Farms. As with Mullen View Farms, the raw hemp is to be harvested at various locations throughout eastern North Carolina, this year.

With these LOIs, Hemp, Inc. ( OTC PINK : HEMP ) will now have a little over 3,000 acres of hemp growing. "We are really excited to be working with Mullen View and John Finch Farms. Mullen View Farms owns a huge warehouse, where we currently store some of our kenaf bales, not too far from our industrial hemp processing facility and wants to grow an additional 30,000 acres of industrial hemp for us in the near future. John Finch Farms has grown 200 acres of kenaf ( hibiscus cannabinus , a cousin plant to industrial hemp) for us already," says David Schmitt, COO of Hemp, Inc.'s subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC. Schmitt also mentioned John Finch received the National Supervisor of the Year Award, last year, during the NC Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts 71st Annual Meeting .

Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. said, "We are proud to collaborate with other American industrial hemp farmers as we now become part of the modern industrial hemp farming movement. This is a turning point for America and it's a turning point for Hemp, Inc. Hemp, Inc. has the infrastructure in place to process millions of pounds of hemp fibers and stalks a year, on a commercial level. Our 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility, on over 9 acres in Spring Hope, North Carolina, is the only one of this magnitude in North America. The industrial hemp crop is part of history in the making and it is something that will prove to be lucrative not only for the farmers in North Carolina but for Hemp, Inc. as well."

THE HEMP UNIVERSITY The Hemp University has been established to educate its attendees on key topics such as transitioning from traditional farming to organic farming, different hemp cultivar strains, how and where to get certified seeds, planting and harvesting industrial hemp, an in depth history of hemp and its many uses, agronomy, permaculture, ecological advantages and many more courses with an ever expanding curriculum. Hemp, Inc. ( OTC PINK : HEMP ) has secured an outstanding lineup of experts from at least a dozen states all over the country, including New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon and Kentucky.

Classes will also cover such topics as organic certification, potential licensing fees, what's happening with industrial hemp in different states around America, high CBD strains and different CBD extraction technologies (which will also be installed and showcased at Hemp, Inc. processing facility) and marketability of the crop. The seminars are expected to start in late February/early March, 2017.

Hemp retail products from all around the country will be showcased at The Hemp University. Attendees will also be able to connect with potential industrial hemp distributors and product manufacturers. It will be a one stop shop for everything or the Hemp Hub for every aspect of industrial hemp from seed and soil to sale.

For those interested in attending, teaching, touring the hemp field and hemp processing facility or showcasing your company's hemp products, at The Hemp University, visit www.thehempuniversity.com .

SUBSCRIBE TO HEMP, INC.'S VIDEO UPDATES " Hemp, Inc. Presents " is capturing the historic, monumental re-creation of the hemp decorticator today as America begins to evolve into a cleaner, green, eco-friendly sustainable environment. What many see as the next American Industrial Revolution is actually the Industrial Hemp Revolution. Watch as Hemp, Inc., the #1 leader in the industrial hemp industry, engages its shareholders and the public through each step in bringing back the hemp decorticator as described in the "Freedom Leaf Magazine" article " The Return of the Hemp Decorticator " by Steve Bloom.

Freedom Leaf Magazine, one of the preeminent news resources for the cannabis, medical marijuana, and industrial hemp industry in America, is published by Freedom Leaf, Inc., a fully reporting, audited, publicly traded company on OTC Markets. Stay in the loop with Freed Leaf Magazine as it continues to deliver the good news in marijuana reform with some of the most compelling art, entertainment, and lifestyle-driven industry news in the cannabis/hemp sector. On the go? Download the Freedom Leaf mobile app to stay connected as they transform the delivery of cannabis news and information across the digital landscape. Get the mobile app on Apple iOS or Google Play .

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ABOUT INDUSTRIAL HEMP Hemp is a durable natural fiber that is grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products. It's one of the oldest domesticated crops known to man. Hemp is used as a nutritional food product for humans and pets, building materials, paper, textiles, cordage, organic body care and other nutraceuticals, just to name a few. It has thousands of other known uses. A hemp crop requires half the water alfalfa uses and can be grown without the heavy use of pesticides. Farmers worldwide grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products. The United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop on a large scale, according to the Congressional Resource Service. However, with rapidly changing laws and more states gravitating towards industrial hemp and passing an industrial hemp bill, that could change. Currently, the majority of hemp sold in the United States is imported from China and Canada, the world's largest exporters of the industrial hemp crop.

To see the video showcasing the dramatic footage of our hemp and kenaf grows, click here .

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here . (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

HOW HEMP CAN CHANGE THE WORLD Industrial, medicinal and commercial properties of hemp have been known to mankind for decades. Cultivating hemp does not require any particular climate or soil, and is thus found in all parts of the world and has been found to be a better alternative than other raw materials. Hemp products can be recycled, reused and are 100% biodegradable. The growth speed of the plant is fast enough to meet the increasing industrial and commercial demand for these products. Switching to hemp products will help save the environment, leaving a cleaner and greener planet for the next generation.

"The hemp crop grows dense and vigorously. Sunlight cannot penetrate the plants to reach the ground, and this means the crop is normally free of weeds. Its deep roots use ground water and reduce its salinity. Also, erosion of topsoil is limited, thereby reducing water pollution. The roots give nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil. After the harvest, this soil makes excellent compost amendments for other plants, and hemp cultivation can follow the rotation of agriculture with wheat or soybean. In fact, the same soil can be used to grow hemp for many years, without losing its high quality. The hemp plant absorbs toxic metals emitted by nuclear plants into the soil, such as copper, cadmium, lead and mercury." (Source: www.HempBenefits.org )

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here . (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA INDUSTRIAL HEMP ASSOCIATION "Through education we believe that the law of our state can be changed to allow the growing, processing, and sale of Hemp and Hemp products within North Carolina in a responsible manner. Through education, dedication and fundraising, North Carolina can be accelerated to the forefront of global growth in Industrial and Medicinal Hemp. North Carolina can and should lead the country in cultivation, processing and support the consumption of hemp's many beneficial products. Hemp was, for almost 200 years, a legal and fundamental crop in North Carolina and should be again. Farmers should be able to grow and consumers buy Hemp products grown and processed in our state." Visit www.ncindhemp.org for more information. To join the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association, click here .

ABOUT THE NATIONAL HEMP ASSOCIATION NHA represents hemp farmers, processors, manufacturers, start-up businesses, entrepreneurial endeavors, and retailers and strives to build a viable industrial hemp economy by providing education about the benefits of hemp and providing expert consultation to producers and processors entering the hemp industry. NHA has developed close relationships with local and state government agencies to establish regulations that benefit the hemp industry across the nation. We provide a wealth of expertise in fields ranging from mining and agriculture to hemp materials processing and the latest developments pertaining to laws and regulations. For more information on the National Hemp Association, visit www.NationalHempAssociation.org .

HEMP, INC.'S TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE Hemp, Inc. ( OTC PINK : HEMP ) seeks to benefit many constituencies from a "Cultural Creative" perspective, thereby not exploiting or endangering any group. CEO of Hemp, Inc., Bruce Perlowin, is positioning the company as a leader in the industrial hemp industry, with a social and environmental mission at its core. Thus, the publicly traded company believes in "up streaming" a portion of its profits back to its originator, in which some cases will one day be the American small farmer -- cultivating natural, sustainable products as an interwoven piece of nature. By Hemp, Inc. focusing on comprehensive investment results -- that is, with respect to performance along the interrelated dimensions of people, planet, and profits -- the triple bottom line approach can be an important tool to support its sustainability goal.

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To see the video showcasing the dramatic footage of our hemp and Kenaf grows, click here .

To see 1-minute daily video updates (from Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin) on the final phases of completion of Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation and other developments, click here . (Remember to scroll down to see the other videos of this historical event of building an American industrial hemp processing facility and factory from the ground up.)

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