USDA Appoints Hemp Industry Executive To Federal Trade Advisory Panel

An executive at a hemp advocacy group has been appointed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to a federal advisory committee on trade issues, officials announced on Friday.

Kevin Latner, vice president of marketing for the National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC), will serve as a member of a panel focused on trade in processed foods alongside representatives from major well-known brands and organizations. This appears to be the first time a hemp market advisor has been appointed to formally guide federal policy since the crop was legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill.

The panel is “an important avenue to support export marketing by providing input into government policies on trade agreements and foreign import standards,” Latner told Marijuana Moment.