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Upcoming Events

With the rapid growth of the hemp industry in Texas, upcoming events and workshops offer invaluable opportunities to connect with industry leaders, acquire practical insights, and engage in meaningful advocacy. These events highlight sustainable practices, provide updates on regulatory developments, and showcase innovative applications of hemp.

Upcoming Hemp Events in Texas

3rd Annual Texas Hemp Summit – Nov 1-2, 2024, Texas A&M AgriLife Center, College Station

Organized by the Texas Hemp Coalition, this two-day summit will explore hemp market trends, sustainable farming, and regulatory developments. Attendees can participate in networking sessions, workshops, and policy discussions, focusing on hemp’s environmental and economic impact.

Hemp-Ology – November 30, 1-2pm, Online

Discover the World of Hemp with Expert Dora Wilson-Jefferson. Join renowned hemp grower and author Dora Wilson-Jefferson for an engaging two-hour training session to empower beginners and experienced enthusiasts. Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to expand your expertise, this event offers a unique opportunity to dive deeper into the hemp industry and its many applications. This session covers topics such as: exploring hemp’s versatility and discovering the wide range of uses and benefits of hemp, from wellness products to sustainable materials. Learning to stay ahead of trends: Gain insights into the latest industry trends and uncover emerging business opportunities to master best practices including understanding proven strategies and techniques for cultivating hemp successfully and maximizing your yields

Texas Hemp Building Summit – Dec 5, 2024, Austin

This summit brings together builders, architects, and environmental advocates to explore innovative uses of hemp in construction. Sessions will cover topics such as hempcrete applications, sustainable design, and eco-friendly building materials. Attendees will also take a guided tour of local projects using hemp-based materials, offering real-world insights into sustainable architecture.

National CBD Month – January

National CBD Month is celebrated every January, raising awareness about CBD’s potential wellness effects. CbdMD was officially founded to combat health challenges associated with the misperceptions of CBD. Throughout January, we aim to shine a spotlight on the hemp-derived substance, clear up misunderstandings, change perceptions, and set standards for superior CBD products.

Advocacy Training by the Texas Hemp Federation – Ongoing

These advocacy sessions empower participants to engage with lawmakers at the state and federal levels. Attendees will learn how to advocate effectively, understand current hemp regulations, and develop strategies to communicate the benefits of hemp to policymakers, contributing to legislative changes that support the industry.

Stay Engaged with Hemp Events

AllEvents: Search for “hemp” to discover additional workshops, summits, and networking opportunities across Texas and beyond.

Texas Hemp Coalition: Stay updated on events and advocacy efforts by visiting their website and following their social media channels.

Education and advocacy remain key drivers of the hemp industry’s growth in Texas. Participating in events like the Texas Hemp Summit, Hemp Building Summit, and Hemp for Health Workshop helps Texans stay informed and shape the future of this growing sector. Engaging in these initiatives ensures hemp becomes a vital part of the state’s agricultural, health, and economic development landscape, paving the way for sustainable and innovative solutions.

 

Naturally Hemps: Austin TX

The conversation on Delta 8 has been a continuous hot topic in the state of Texas with many already invested in the hemp-derived product pushing for regulation over prohibition in the vested interest of their companies, the industry and the responsible consumer. Darrell Suriff of Naturally Hemps discussed with Texas Hemp Reporter how Delta-8 and the looming possibility of it’s legal status looks from a company standpoint.

Naturally Hemps is an alternative solutions company under the umbrella of Naturally Distro which operates over 30 retail stores across Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee to include the Austin Vape and Smoke franchise. The company manufactures a large variety of natural CBD, kratom, e juice vape and legal hemp related products out of their 30k square foot main manufacturing facility in Pflugerville. While they offer a variety of product on their name, Delta-8 specifically makes up about 20% of their gross business over the last 12 months moving into the largest growth category in the industry.

As this time period has also seen a tremendous amount of legislative process on the same topic, Suriff says it has been difficult to gauge business around potential legislation. The fluctuation of legality is costly not only as it comprises 20% of his revenue, but in considering the cost of entry into it as a manufacturer is quite extensive regarding liability, machinery, and wages for his 180 employees which all makes a huge impact on their bottom line.

While Delta 8 is fully legal in Tennessee, constant restructuring and vague state law keep him from selling it into his Louisiana stores. There are no clear cut guidelines currently for Delta 8 in our neighboring state and Texas leads between the two on education and communication between state officials and hemp businesses. While Delta 8 is currently still fits into a legal category following the lack of advancement or changes in the hemp bill last legislative session, it’s status still stands on shaky ground.

States that have fully legalized cannabis are historically the ones who try and ban it most as they get taxation on THC but not off of Delta 8. Right now Texas has enacted the Compassionate Use Program effective September 1, 2021 which allows patients access, through their physician, to prescription low-THC cannabis in the treatment of medical conditions like cancer, autism, PTSD, and seizure disorders. The single operating medical marijuana license holder in the state have been the leaders in the ban on Delta 8 which lead many to question if they will simply see taxation on a state level or full market control. A drastic shift in the industry and lawmaking would not only cause large companies like Naturally Hemps to take a massive hit, but consumers as well as Suriff states, “We believe people have a right to self medicate, treat, or relax [with all variations of hemp derivatives] just as they would in a glass or 2 of wine or beer.” And with that statement backs it with the push for regulation beyond minors into consenting responsible adults.

Darrell Suriff himself knows the firsthand benefits it can bring with chronic pain and the success of his business was built on his own personal success story. A little over a decade ago, Suriff suffered a broken back which led to permanent rods placed in his spine and persistent pain. His corporate insurance plan at the time offered many opioids at his disposal which led to a year-long addiction before he discovered the benefits of Kratom, CBD, and, later, Delta-8. He was able to then craft a daily regimen with these products which allowed him to function without pain and without the use of opioids or any other addictive drugs. From there he built his new endeavor of vape retails stores from an initial $26,000 investment into a $70,000,000 empire based on the products that saved his life – all organically with incremental growth.

With full understanding of the scope of all Delta-8 offers, and standing by what his own business and life is built on, Darrell Suriff hold his position alongside many other Texan hemp product manufacturers and retailers who call to maintain a regulated market on the product for the livelihood of Texans all around.