Sustainable agriculture specialist Mike Lewis is taking over as president of the Hemp Industries Association, as former president Rick Trojan moves to vice president and head of a new Cannabinoids Council.
Based in Livingston, Kentucky, Lewis works for the National Center for Appropriate Technology. He said he hopes to use his HIA position to promote the crop’s potential to mitigate climate change.
“The rebuilding of rural infrastructure and a transition to equitable production and processes will play a critical role in the global fight against climate change and food insecurity,” he said in a statement.
“The path to sustainability will be built from the ground up, and hemp represents an opportunity for us to diversify crop rotations, reduce pesticide and water usage, and create cleaner industrial and consumer facing products —all while creating the jobs our rural communities need.”
In other board changes announced Monday, the HIA appointed:
- •Zev Paiss as the board’s new position dedicated to hemp fiber.
- Jeffrey Kostiuk as the board’s new position dedicated to hempseed and grain.
