Conference Agenda

Thursday, April 8

6:00 p.m. – Registration  Deadline

Friday, April 9

7:45 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.  – Early Log in to Virtual Conference

8:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. – Welcome & Opening Session Remarks

  • Introduction – Jeffrey Sharkey – Florida Hemp Association
  • Welcome – Nikki Fried, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture

8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. – State & Federal Hemp Update

Moderator: Dr. Jeffrey Sharkey

  • Florida 2020 Overview – Holly Bell – Director, Office of Cannabis, Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services
  • Panel Discussion: Rules & Regulations for the Hemp Industry
    • USDA and State Regulatory Guidelines
      • Steven Hall, General Counsel, FDACS
      • William Richmond – Chief, U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program
    • Permitting & Licensing
      • Bryan Benson –Division of Plant Industries, FDACS
    • Testing and Compliance
      • Steven Perez, Americanna Labs
      • Dr. Mathew Curran – Director of Food Safety, FDACS
    • Regulatory and Legal Updates
      • Jonathan Robbins – Akerman LLP

9:45 – 9:50 a. m – Break

9:50 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. – Update on Hemp Research – Panel Discussion

Moderator: Danielle McBeth – Florida A & M University

  • Dr. Jerry Fankhauser – UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Research Project
  • Dr. Charles Weatherford, FAMU – Industrial Hemp Research Project
  • Doug Warren, Sunshine Hemp/FAMU Partnership
  • Dr. Eric Rohrig – Bureau Chief, Division of Plant Industries -FDACS

10:40 – 10:45 a. m – Nikki Fried, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 p.m.  – Florida 2020 Hemp Cultivation Experience

Moderator: Holly Bell, FDACS

  • Glen & Jammie Treadwell – Treadwell Farms
  • Joe Collins – Senior VP, Lykes Brothers
  • Jeff Thomas – Ancient City Hemp
  • Michael Donaghy – Drymons Citrus Nursery

11:45 – 12:00 pm – Break / Exhibitor Experience

12:15– 12:45 – Virtual Lunch Speaker – Tommy Chong

An Interview with Tommy Chong – Chong CBD

12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.  Hemp Processing & Manufacturing

Moderator: Taylor Biehl, Florida Hemp Association

  • Margaret Richardson, Chief Compliance Officer – Global Widget (TBC)
  • Andrew Bish/Chad Frey – Global Fiber Processing –fiber processing (TBC)
  • Bruce Vanamen – Evello Global (TBC)
  • David Hasenauer – Green Point Research (TBC)

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.  Hemp Retailers – Challenges and Opportunities –

Moderator: Lena Juarez, JEJ & Associates

  • Online Sales
  • Storefront Retail
    • Gabriel Suarez – Natural Life Franchise Corp
    • Cole Peacock – Seed & Bean Cafe
  • Educating Consumers
    • Mike Thompson – CannaEd
    • Niki Donner – FDACS Hemp Webinar program

2:45 – 3:45 –Hemp Business Resources

Moderator: Paula Savchenko, PS Law Group

  • Banking Solutions
    • Dana Wichmann-Chaves – First Federal Bank
  • Crop & Operations Insurance
    • Greg Winter – Alliant Insurance Services
  • Tax and Accounting Considerations
    • Scott Bailey, Carr Riggs and Ingram CPA
  • Financing Solutions–
    • Deborah Petrell – Florida First Capital Corp
    • Brian Kirimdar – Terra Advisors (TBC)

3:45- 3:50 – Break

3:50 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Hemp Markets, Products and Success

Moderator: Dr. Jeffrey Sharkey, Florida Hemp Association

  • Understanding Market for Hemp Products
    • Bethany Gomez – Brightfield (TBC)
  • CBD Products
    • Luisa Worrell – Cativa CBD Lotions
  • Fiber markets
    • Brianna Kilkullen – fiber production
    • Naeem Khan – hemp for fashion industry
  • Other Hemp Opportunities
    • Michael Laible – BioRiot

5:00 – 5:10 – Keys to Success in 2021 – Closing Remarks