Harris and Associates LLC, hosts of 710 Georgia Compassion Day – the nation’s first cannabis education symposium held at a state capitol building – have partnered with Michael “Coach” Harris, the first hemp lobbyist in the state and CEO of the Georgia Hemp Association, and Georgia House Representatives Robert Dickey (R-Musella), Winfred Dukes (D-Albany), Micha Gravely (R-Douglasville), Democratic Whip Harold Jones III (D-Augusta) and Billy Mitchell (D-Stone Mountain), for 2021 Farmers Forum: Hemp Cultivation in Georgia, a FREE online event on March 10, 2021, at 1:00 pm to explore opportunities within legal cannabis and hemp for farming and careers in the Southeastern region.
The inaugural Farmer’s Forum took place in 2019 at the state capitol with elected officials who sponsored Georgia HB 213 and HB324. Following the symposium, Harris and Associates LLC continued to host additional workshops in the community, inviting speakers from across the Nation, such as David Schmitt of Hemp Inc University and Bill Billings, the nation’s first legal hemp grower. Adhering to state guidelines, this year’s event will be held virtually and with a new spin featuring live speakers and taped conversations. Industry leaders and elected officials will hear farmers’ needs, explore solutions, and network to build industry infrastructure. Aiming to assist patients denied safe access, businesses that want to avoid criminalization, and address the responsibilities and financial impact on farmers, this symposium will be a resource for those at the starting point.
This FREE virtual event will bring patients, farmers, business leaders, industry experts, and advocates together to discuss topics ranging from winning a license to creating products and reinvesting in communities.
“Georgia patients and farmers are seeking guidance to advance hemp as a viable crop, medicine, and commodity- this forum is a pathway to the solutions stakeholders seek,” said Alexis Harris, CEO of Harris and Associates LLC and member of the Georgia Hemp Association, NWIAA, and Peachtree Norml. “We are grateful to continue to lead this conversation with patients, stakeholders, and elected officials to determine what approach will truly work for Georgia and this plant at all levels. As patients, advocates, and entrepreneurs under the 2018 Farm Bill, we have connected with leaders across all professions to educate, inform and connect stakeholders who can build the infrastructure necessary for a strong economic and social impact.”
Featured speakers include Representative Dukes, Bruce Perlowin, founder of Hemp Inc, Noreen S Whitehead NWIAA Georgia Chairwoman, and industry entrepreneurs including Amy Ansel, Ted Talk Seattle Hemp Biochemist speaker and advocate Dr. Charles Walker.
Other topics to be discussed during the summit include:
- Safe Access and Decriminalization
- Pathways to start a cannabis business
- Careers in cannabis creating CBD hemp products
- Certificate programs in hemp and cannabis (college/continuing education programs/ CLE)
- Understanding land use and opportunities
- How industry actions can reinvest in our communities
Additional sponsors of the 2021 Farmer’s Forum: Hemp Cultivation in Georgia include National Women in Agriculture, Troops Farms, Indigenous Hemp Education Association (IHEA), Legacy Farms, and Status Network.
To register for this free event, visit 2021 Farmer’s Forum: Hemp Cultivation in Georgia
