New York’s chapter of the Hemp Industries Association—the hemp industry’s oldest trade organization and the only one that is member led and focused—has been approved for expansion as the northeast region affiliate of the HIA. With the expansion, the NYHIA will be rebranded as North-EastHIA.

“The North-EastHIA  will support New York’s and adjacent states’ hemp farmers and industry participants, especially in light of the recently adopted Final Rule, which will have a high impact on New York’s CBD retailers and consumers,” says Shira Adler, president of North-EastHIA, founder and CEO of Synergy by Shira Adler, and author of The ABCs of CBD: The Essential Guide.

“The current bifurcation of the hemp industry means part of it will now be run under the Department of Health, while industrial hemp will remain under the Department of Agriculture and Markets,” she says. “With such a tricky landscape and ongoing changes that affect CBD nationally, the North-EastHIA  will proudly serve to educate, support and connect anyone in the industries—whether consumer, wellness practitioner, retailer or farmer.”