The National Industrial Hemp Council has developed a national marketing campaign strategy. The association's Chairmen, Patrick Atagi joins Joy Beckerman from Hemp Ace International to talk about relying on his dynamic board members vast experiences to help design a national Check-Off program to fund this ambitious initiative. Produced by PodCONX https://podconx.com/guests/patrick-atagi
The National Industrial Hemp Council has developed a national marketing campaign strategy. The association's Chairmen, Patrick Atagi joins Joy Beckerman from Hemp Ace International to talk about relying on his dynamic board members vast experiences to help design a national Check-Off program to fund this ambitious initiative.
https://podconx.com/guests/patrick-atagi
Joyce Beckerman: [00:00:08] Welcome to today's Hemp Barons podcast, everyone. I'm Joyce Beckerman and we have a great show for you today. I do want to take a moment to address what's happening around the country right now and in other parts of the world, as we know, on May 25th.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:00:23] George Floyd, an African-American man, was killed in Minneapolis. He was handcuffed and while lying face down their children, a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and forty six seconds. Senate, according to the criminal complaint that was filed against children. That was two minutes and 53 seconds after Floyd was unresponsive. This happened, of course, while three other officers who participated in Floyds arrest were standing by, one was holding his back. While this murder was taking place, the other holding his legs. And the third officer stood nearby, keeping citizens from preventing Floyd's death as they literally shouted, You're killing him. Now, as of the taping of this weekly address thus far due to massive public outcry, authorities finally arrested Joven on May twenty ninth Friday and charged him with third degree murder. But despite ongoing and growing public outcry, the other three officers have still not been arrested or charged. And I hope by the airing of this show, that news will have changed. Have been peaceful protests across the nation that have been infiltrated by a variety of interests. And it's caused property damage, theft, fires, injury to others, both innocent citizens and police officers. Those invaders range from white supremacists to anarchists, too, according to some reports, the police themselves, because riots give rise to the potential use of force.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:01:46] Now, sitting down en masse in the middle of a city street is an outstanding and nonviolent way to protest. It shuts down traffic and commerce. It forces governments to respond. And the organizers of peaceful, permitted protests taking place all over are aware of all of those nonviolent methods. Protesters are not rioters. Both of these things are taking place and we need to know the difference and understand the dynamics of what's happening. But the bottom line is it's not enough to be nonracist. We have to be vocally anti-racist. It's our responsibility to use our power to engage in the process and for the love of all that is good and right in this world. It is our responsibility for those of us who are white to use our white privilege with all of our might to speak up for what is good and just and compassionate in our neighborhoods, in the stores and the eateries that we frequent during meetings at schools and at work, because no one is free until we are all free. And with that, I'll discuss the fact that Minneapolis is in Hennepin County. And guess what, 10 up is Dutch for Hemp. And when we talk about the history that Hemp has in our country, we can even discuss geographical names like Hempstead, Long Island, Hempstead County, Arkansas.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:03:02] Hempstead, Texas. Hemphill, North Carolina and homefield Pennsylvania. So in Hennepin County, Minneapolis, revolution is taking place just as the Hemp revolution is taking place across the United States, giving us hope, creating jobs and stimulating the economy and helping us find alternative and better ways to make regenerative products and to regenerate our communities. And so today, I'm very happy to be able to deliver to you a fantastic interview with Patrick at Taghi, chairman of the board of the National Industrial Hemp Council. Patrick is a third generation specialty crop farmer who has integrated Hemp into his rotations. Most importantly, on top of his acumen for agronomy and farming and agricultural scheme in the United States, he is deeply experienced, as is the entire board of the National Industrial Hemp Council. Patrick served as deputy director for Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Agriculture during the George W. Bush Bush administration. He's an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of working in the government relations industry, and he served as legislative assistant under U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield, who was then the chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. Patrick and their board are bringing the whole new perspective and focusing very much on a checkoff program that we'll go into and educate folks about.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:04:26] As this interview unfolds, thank you so much for listening. Everybody get ready for a great interview. And I hope you have a healthy and inspired week. Remember, use your power.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:04:45] Well, welcome, Patrick, thank you so much for being with us on Hemp Barons today.
Patrick Atagi: [00:04:49] Thank you for having me on board. Very much appreciate it, Joy.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:04:52] Such a pleasure. You know, we're seeing various trade associations pop up with this incredible new opportunity and Hemp. And so it's really a breath of fresh air to see the National Industrial Hemp Council with the tremendous amount of agricultural experience, advocacy experience, trade association and huge industry experience. In fact, you are not only a farmer who is also farming Hemp and a third generation one at that, from what I understand, but also head of government and government affairs for WPC WPEC, the National Wooden Pallet Container Association and a tremendous background. Could you just give us a little bit about your background and then what brought you into Hemp when Hemp got on your radar? Patrick?
Patrick Atagi: [00:05:40] Yeah, sure. Absolutely. I would say, you know, Hemp has been on my radar for more than 30 years, to be honest with you. When I was working for my senator, Mark Hatfield from Oregon back in the early 1990s, he was chair of the Senate United States Senate Appropriations Committee. And I saw the language come across my desk trying to get Hemp legalized back then. And as you know, knows, uphill battle. You know, North Dakota senators putting in the language. And I saw, you know, that come across my desk. So you have been falling with interest for quite a while. And you grew up on a family farm out in eastern Oregon, about 50 miles from Boise, Idaho. So I would always say that that of a farm hand, I'm not a farmer boy. Very clear to point that out. Farm owner now through, you know, my family. But when it became legal to grow, hemp is obviously a great interest. And that's kind of how the NASED National Industrial Hemp Council was formed. There's a lot of interest in the area where I'm from across the country. So that's kind of a quick and quick background of how we got to where we are. But I have been following, as I've always had a tremendous belief in hemp as a product and, you know, understand the background behind it. But, you know, it's it's just really a phenomenal plant, if you will, as you really well know. And, you know, singing to the choir. But that's how I got involved in how association I really got started from the bootstraps Hemp.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:07:15] I have been so this is wonderful for me to realize. I don't think and when we've spoken before this, I don't think we addressed it because this is fantastic. Thirty years you have this plant has been in your field of awareness for 30 years, basically as long as it's been in mine and many, many industry leaders. I'd love hearing this and knowing about this. So because you probably know just as well as I do that once you get bit by the Hemp bug, that's it. It's up in your DNA and you just can't shake it. And clearly, you weren't able to shake it. This is a tremendous benefit to the rest of us that you were bit by the Hemp bug so very long ago.
Patrick Atagi: [00:07:54] No, absolutely. It's a wonderful it's a wonderful crop. You know, I guess I come from the farm background that we need as many arrows in the quiver of our, you know, production that we can. You know, my background and family, we did well with ya. Sounds funny when I hear about it. When I hear myself say. But with onions, especially Crossman backgrounds in that very much in that field, especially crops, you know, when you discover a crop, you know, you can make a lot of money on it. But then the farmers around you, you might be a little hesitant to enter into the fray, looking go. In our case, all those Japanese American farmers are getting a pretty good. Raising onions and then they start raising it. And then the field gets very crowded and prices drop. And then, you know, you get into that, well, what else can I grow? And, you know, then you're you're a business owner. You have to decide whether you're going to plant what are the markets. You know, it's a very it's a very challenging business being a farmer family at where so many have. So, you know, Hemp is another one of those, you know, that that popped up and that we really you know, as you know, the really joye's a really wonderful, wonderful crop product. You know, major companies are looking at it, you know, in terms of beyond CBD. And that's where the money is. But in terms of fiber, you know, it's just it's just really wonderful, durable, you know, products. So that's where the national does for Hemp council is really focusing on is more that long term vision, which we started, you know, when we formed, that we really need to open up the markets in many, many areas, you know, including CBD and beyond.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:09:34] Yes, I and so grateful for CBD as I as I often say, even though even when you say we're not going to talk about CBD in this seminar or this meeting or this conference, it's. Bill takes up all the air in the room and you still end up talking about it, and I'm so grateful that so many folks are learning about the true promise and potential and on these trillion dollar industries of oil, seed and fiber that that Hemp serves through CVD. But clearly, you and I came to it from the oil seed and fiber, which again, I can't say it enough are the true trillion dollar industries. And before we get too much into it, I really want to highlight some of the just, again, tremendous talent on the NIH board. Would you mind telling us a little bit about some of your stars? And we could do a whole hour just on your board members. By the way. But some highlights of that really powerful board that that has been put together for the NIH see absolutely up on our plants.
Patrick Atagi: [00:10:35] A seed in your head, Joy and Dand, is to bring on. John Johnson called for a discussion. So I think there really could be a 45 minute our discussion with John. John recently joined our board. Yeah. John really joined our board of directors. He's with the National Pork Producers Council. He's also the chief financial officer for the pork checkoff.
Patrick Atagi: [00:11:00] And you know, Tom.
Patrick Atagi: [00:11:03] Yeah, I've talked with several folks, and this is really a great way to kind of start spreading the message. We're talking with some other groups about, you know, pursuing a checkoff program. For those listeners who aren't familiar with it, if you think about got milk, that's a checkoff program where producers do a self-assessment. You know, rising tide raises all boats. That money goes into marketing for the industry, for farmers and for the crop. And in the case of milk, for dairy. And that money is collected and goes into for a marketing campaign. So John is also has his son is involved in the Hemp industry. So he had a real personal interest. What the NSA does for Hemp council, and I've known him for decades, really phenomenal person. And as you noted, a phenomenal background. And he him and and one of our vice presidents on marketing and trade. Kevin Lightener, he's on our board, but he's on staff. Really have a good knowledge of the U.S. part of agriculture and the checkoff programs. You don't forget to check our program. The steps are fairly easy, but getting there is very complicated because of the makeup of the board and the outreach and the vote to do that. But John really has a phenomenal background in that. So that's really his strong point. And you know why he came on board to help shepherd this checkoff program, which will take you know, it takes a while to get it done. And there's a lot of moving parts and pieces. But, you know, he's put this together before and knows the pitfalls, you know? And again, the other makeup of the board has to be broad. You know, it's not one association.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:12:43] What? Yeah, go ahead. I'm so sorry to sit there and interrupt. It's just what a contribution. Many you know, we've all been talking about checkoff programs, understanding very well. And and certainly, as I'm sure you're aware, the Canadian Trade Alliance successfully created a check us out there. Of course, they had 20 years on us. 1998, they federally begin to regulate that promising crop with federal crop insurance. So what a contribution that is going to be to these emerging Hemp. Hemp economy, the all of the opportunities. Just that's fantastic. I wondered just because we only recently became aware of it, I guess it was announced in late April, but I just found out about it literally this week that the Montana Hemp growers had. And it was announced through the Montana Department of Agriculture that the Montana Hemp growers established a one percent checkoff. I don't know if you were aware of that.
Patrick Atagi: [00:13:39] I was aware of that specifically. But I've heard others working on that or doing self-assessment. You know, that's really, really helpful because, you know, that goes towards a national check. You know, hopefully is where we get to. And you know what? The State Department of Agriculture is very important. As I was talking with other folks, the National Association, State Department of Agriculture, Nasta actually worked there for several years. I think it would be a very powerful ally in this and, you know, seek others to chat with them and, you know, and their staff and their CEO about it. We have a few State Department Agriculture secretary, commissioners and directors of agriculture as a member. So that's a path forward that we're looking at in terms of implementation. You know, they're set up perfectly to administer a checkoff program. So we're doing some initial conversations. And, you know, again, this is everybody needs to be on board. It's not a one person or one organization. And it's really a has to be a group effort. And that's the complication of a checkoff is to get everybody to agree. But I think, you know, there's there's some sense. Yeah, there's incentive, though, for now. I mean, there a regulator. But, you know, they they promote farming, but they're also a regulator regulating agency. And they have the information because a lot of a check off work is doing its promotion of the check off and letting people know about it.
Patrick Atagi: [00:15:05] You know, as you noted, you know, you're learning about it. Others are learning about it. And it's it's something that you have to kind of get a grasp of that it is a self-assessment. And other check ups have not been established. In the end. You mentioned fiber in the force and fiber, you know, world. They tried a lumber check off and that didn't go through. But that was a more well established long term modern history. You know, between the members were the big members were, well, why do they pay, you know, marketing for my competitor and fascist and education of, you know, rising tide raises all boats and the lumber industry. Now, if they had a Check-Out boat would pass. It didn't pass. It was two years ago. And now they were just because the, you know, logging in China and getting their logs out. So it's a you have to do it right. Wanting to see, you know, with with you, Joy and others to start thinking about it is 18 to 21, 24 month process can be faster. It could be longer. It's just a matter of outreach and vote. But you talked about the stars on our on our board. One of those is another one of those is Undersecretary Bill Hawke, former undersecretary at you as part of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service.
Patrick Atagi: [00:16:27] So, you know, his knowledge obviously is pretty good because that program was under him.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:16:32] Right. Just absolutely sure.
Patrick Atagi: [00:16:34] I mean, if John doesn't. Yeah, absolutely. And we have creer levels. So from the top down, you know, we're capable of doing it. But, you know that Staff Directors Association directed. And so you're putting the feelers out there and you know, those listening, you know, look into a check off and see if there's an interest, because at the end of the day, you know, we can get it done in terms of the administrative part of it. But really, the industry has to ask for it.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:17:01] Absolutely. And and two things on that one. You know, as vice president of federal lobbying for the U.S. Hemp roundtable, I want to talk about the get on that. And hopefully you're working with or at least are in communication with the U.S. Hemp Growers Association. Yes or no on that. If you're able to say. Yeah.
[00:17:21] Yeah. Yeah. We have conversations I shared with Karen periodically. I think we've you know, we're we're she's starting her organization and we're building ours. But, yeah, we definitely we talk with each other and yes, we chat. Yeah, we try. We chat with all of us. We probably should be better about doing more, to be honest with you. We're just you know, we're also focused on trying to get things done that, you know, we need to stop and take time to say hello. But I saw Karen at the Organic Trade Association meeting.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:17:53] I rather I am acutely aware.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:17:56] It's not like it's a widget. It's not like it's a plant that has one purpose. I mean, where does one start? I you know, I recently resigned from board service from the Hemp Industries Association. But it's just there is just a never ending need. Right. I mean, we're talking about human and animal nutrition, body care, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, paper, textiles, bio composites, building materials. I'm going to keep going. Industrial sealable and coding supercapacitors, fuel, energy, nanotechnology. Oh, my God. Stop me. Yes. It's hard to come up for air and reach out each other. But we know how important this checkoff program is because occasionally, as we are able to, like, stop treading water and just lift our chins up a little bit, we say check off. And then we go back down into the water and keep treading, you know, and that on that Patrick. On that. Patrick, can you tell the listeners what the purpose of a checkoff program and what it does? Why why a checkoff program?
Patrick Atagi: [00:18:59] Well, Check-Out program, first off, it's a generic promotion of the commodity like milk. You can't say dairy gold. You can't say specific names, you know, but it's a very broad general marketing program to make people aware and to promote the product. You know, you look and feel of cotton. Right. USA cotton. It promotes the products. So people are where, you know, I think it brings the industry together in a unified voice.
Patrick Atagi: [00:19:34] And I think in general, I think where you're exactly where to be upset. Absolutely. You know, that was that that was a Windies campaign, but a good campaign.
Patrick Atagi: [00:19:46] But it's it's you know, it's paired. Right. So we're working with USDA on Internet work on two fronts, on the international front and on a domestic front. So the domestic front is the generic making people aware. And it's not just TBD. Right. We talked about that before. You listed far more products than I ever could in five seconds that I could in 20 minutes. But that's the point. I'm just saying, you know, how wonderful Hemp however that promotion is. And, you know, and that is that is many things so that we get that product established. That's my greatest fear, is that it will get a bad name, something will happen, maybe not even directly, you know, with CBD. Some people, you know, you could take either. I've heard of instances where, you know, somebody is taking olive oil and then putting in serotonin to get that effect of, you know, being sleepy. Right. Let's say somebodies allergic to serotonin. And I'm just this is an example sort of it's not a real something that's happened, but it's my fear. And then what's gonna be the news story? Right. It's going to be an attack on CBD. What if I had nothing to do with. When Hemp has been around, you know, for decades, you know, centuries, as you know.
Patrick Atagi: [00:21:08] You know, it's gonna be a great news story. Right.
Patrick Atagi: [00:21:10] And then somebody is going to go, oh, you know, you have textiles or fabric or filler in a coat, you know, and they someone's like, oh, I can I can get high from this. I'm sort of, you know, underground, you know, read it. Feed gets out of saying, oh, hi from where? Hemp Hemp coat, you know. You know, that is that's ludicrous. But, you know, in today's world, how something can catch hold and get out there.
Patrick Atagi: [00:21:36] So, you know, I really think, you know, it just needs to be established as that says, such as CBD enthused mass can help with Kovik, those types of things. I had to. I had to. Sorry.
Patrick Atagi: [00:21:48] Well, sure. Let me switch gears a little bit, and we're talking about the board. But, you know, folks can come to the National Desert Hemp Council, Hemp industrial dot com and look at our board makeup. And, you know, we you know, we may be, you know, a new organization, but our depth goes, you know, decades, if not centuries of, you know, background, you know, in this world, in Washington, D.C. and the farmer level, you know, our our folks are farmers who have formed and, you know, still farm some of them. So let's switch gears. You know, it's interesting. You mentioned the CBD and the maskin. You know, I'll start off with saying, you know, CBD, as we know, won't kill Cobh. You know, that's that's not the way it works. But we had an interesting meeting with our task force, our Food and Drug Administration task force. We had a presenter and it was Jane over at Morgan State University's.
Patrick Atagi: [00:22:45] Hemp Innovation Center International have innovation center and or university.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:22:49] I literally just we just did another podcast interview and I had to talk about the rock star, who is Dr. Jay Nolla. I'm such a fan. He's a wonderful man. Did you talk with him? No. I will eventually get to work. You know, I helped teach a course on Hemp at OS you I lived in Seattle for. I've known Jay for for quite some number of years now and then, just such a fan. But I've not had him on the show yet, but I certainly will. I want to hear what with Jane, the story you have to tell.
Patrick Atagi: [00:23:18] So this is another hour long. I mean, many, many hours. This is a series that you did that you did talk with Jay about that.
Patrick Atagi: [00:23:26] So in the system, in the human system and he explains it better than I. Is that there's a cannabinoid system in our system is actually called that and that one of those pieces, the andoh, the endocannabinoid endocannabinoid thank you is.
Patrick Atagi: [00:23:47] Erecting that one of the things that does is our temperature has has control tower, you know, like an airport, you've got a control tower. And the person, the control tower in our body regulates the temperature and how our body fights disease, viruses, etc. Right. It raises the temperature and helps helps kill whatever's inside of you. But when under stress, that can go haywire. And again, I'm far oversimplifying. You know what Jay was talking about.
Patrick Atagi: [00:24:17] But CBD can help fix that when it goes haywire.
Patrick Atagi: [00:24:23] Right. So it helps us regulate the temperature and can help our body fight disease not directly by killing what's in it, but helping our system. What's what's ailing us internally. And again, this is a you know, this is 30000, 50000 foot level really would really, you know, emphasize that you really need to get Jay on and talk about it because there's been research done it.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:24:52] Yes, well, we just had it. I mean, in the end, Jay is incredible. Brilliant. But, yes, we just literally just did a doctor you call this WSA burqas. So the homeostatic regulatory system homeostasis. Absolutely. But you know what's beautiful, Patrick, is that the way you just explained it, though? There are many listeners. They're going to understand it the way you just explained it. So thank you so much for that 30000 foot view of it, because it's actually quite helpful to have it explained that way to folks. So. So thank you for that.
Patrick Atagi: [00:25:28] Jane, I said earlier on several hours, you know, and, you know, we've got to know each other really, really well because he is in Oregon. And so we always you run into each other. He actually came out to my hometown. We're having a conference there in eastern Oregon. But, you know, there was that that that explanation took a while to get to, you know, it was very 30000 foot level. But I had to understand it because Jay is extremely smart and he's pretty good explaining things. Right. Well, I had explained this to some of our members, you know, in more layman's terms.
Patrick Atagi: [00:25:59] So it took a while to get there.
Patrick Atagi: [00:26:04] So that's sort of the claim to fame is how on earth am I going to take all of this complexity and deliver it in a way that someone who hasn't spent so much time trying to understand the complexities can understand it in one seminar? And, yeah, that's you know, it. And as chairman of the board, as chairman of the board of the NIH, see, I'm sure you're doing plenty of that brother in a big way.
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Joyce Beckerman: [00:27:17] No, going back to the checkoff program for a minute. When again, you ask the question, you don't. You already know the answer, but you're aware of of what would seem like, even though it's an illogical question when you actually know the answer. But it's a logic, a logical question for folks saying, you know, why? Why am I helping my competitor? And as I sort of tee up this question for you, you know, Bob Hoban is one of my favorite. First of all, he's one of my favorite humans and advocates. But certainly one of my favorite lawyers, I was raised by one. So I happen to have a great affinity for lawyers and have worked with them most of my adult life. And he coined the term cooptation, which Hemp Hemp is not only delivering on so much of a promise, if we can steward this crop correctly in terms of being able to build soil, be such a healer for the biosphere and the planet, and also serve all of these needs of humanity. But it also lends itself to a cooperative business model. Hemp is simply the crop to bring us all together and understand that working smarter, not harder, is the way to go. And a good example of that, that folks just I think it passes them by, even though it's so in their face, particularly if you know anything about New York City's a fashion district, a diamond district, a meat district. So let's talk a little bit more about why it is and why it's natural. It's interesting. And all forms of Cannabis there is tends to be this aversion, whereas all the other industries get it, whether it's a magazine industry, whether it's the widget industry, they understand that they are stronger together. Could you elaborate on that?
Patrick Atagi: [00:29:00] Yeah, I find that interesting, I think. I'm not sure if I, I would agree with that wholeheartedly. I would say I think farmers, the vast majority of farmers want to work together. I think it's the industry and the industry. But, you know, as a work, it's only been legal for four years now. And the background. So it's it's it's like prohibition.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:29:29] Well said. In terms of 2014, where it puts or six in the beginning of things. Very new. Very new.
Patrick Atagi: [00:29:35] In four. Four. I mean, yes. Six years. But that's research in anyway. But anyway. Yes. But I think it's the background of the industry is if you're in Hemp more than six years ago, you're probably on the illegal side of things, right? So that's a certain characteristic of a person who would be in that in that industry. But in that space. Right.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:30:02] Well well, for what it's worth, it just just so you know, so many of us have been leaders. I mean, Hemp traders has been the No. One purveyor. Right. Of Hemp textiles and and fiber for twenty five years. And all I've ever sold was seeds and oil. But I absolutely understand what you are saying when we get these these interesting resonates from people who talk about all of their experience cultivating. And you're like, what the heck were you cultivating before 2014?
Joyce Beckerman: [00:30:28] Continue. Right. Right.
Patrick Atagi: [00:30:32] And so, you know, so I mean, it's a it's a certain personality type of, you know, of our of our forefathers, of folks who would go out, you know, go out west and, you know, you're you're hopping in a wagon and you felt you had no idea I was waiting for you, but you're gonna go, you know. So they're very entrepreneurial spirit, you know. Absolutely. You know, and wonderful people. And, you know, but it's just it's also who you trust. So, you know, your you know, so you build kind of your your your tribe, so to speak. You know who you are, who you trust and who you work with, you know, and that's also regional. It's not gonna be if somebody is growing. You know, Hemp or Cannabis or in or again, that they're necessary. Get to know somebody in Kentucky. Right. So I think that's kind of you know, there's that kind of in the background. But I do think that people get it. And, you know, we had a meeting in Portland and I think that was kind of a transition phase for many folks who, you know, it was, oh, these guys are the suits and ties and was kind of a bit of a derogatory term, you know, and then they came to our meeting and understood, oh, are the student ties. And this is for, you know, whether you liked it or not, is the direction that the industry is going. It needs to go. You know, so you can be a craft brewing in your garage and you love it and you have your friends and you might grow.
Patrick Atagi: [00:32:03] You might be a Ben and Jerry's ice cream that grows and, you know, becomes a multimillion dollar company. But, you know, the your friends were churning, you know, butter and ice cream, you know, at home, you know, they're that's not the direction where the industry is going, you know, for good or bad. However, however you want to see it. So I'm a long winded answer to your question is. Yeah, there is, but we're all kind of in the same boat together. And I think the argument is, you know, if you want this to succeed and become ostrich meat and in a llama wool, you know, which there is and there is a market for that. Don't get me wrong, but it's not mainstream. And Hemp really can be mainstream. It has obstacles to get over, as you know, joy of, you know, just people look at even our meeting in Portland, Oregon. It was well, we were kind of wondering it was Hemp with like Hemp is legal. So and they were thinking, you know, something else. And so those are the hurdles that we can overcome. You know, with the checkoff program, which is to let people know, is this berries out there know we have a governor in South Dakota that's not really happy with the product. Right. So I guess that's, you know, again, a long answer to your short question.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:33:21] No, are you kidding me? We love the long winded answers to get the benefit of your thinking and all of that. It's very, very helpful and incredibly helpful. Helpful, in fact, to the listeners and so that we all can just really get our our head around the emergence of a crop that feeds all of these needs. I mean, delivering on this promise is just is just it's my purpose. It is. It consumes me. It consumes me, Patrick. And to have folks like you involved, you know, once the 2018 farm bill happened, you know, that's it. Gloves are off. We we need the big guns here to take it all the way home. So really just can't thank you for taking that passion that you were inspired by so many decades ago and running with it. And was it was it you essentially whose idea was it to the extent you could disclose to form the NHC? Is this something that you had been thinking about and dreaming about speaking with some colleagues? Did someone recruit you or how did that happen?
[00:34:32] What you like like Hemp another thing, it was just organic. It was, you know, because we had our family farm were down to Hemp, down to.
Patrick Atagi: [00:34:41] A couple hundred acres, you know, from a you know you know, my father passed away on the corporate side of the car was sold and so much of it, the personal side was sold and where the corporate. But weren't you going to do with, you know you know, that kind of acreage in in Oregon, which is basically a garden. So obviously with everybody else, it's like, oh, you started seeing the numbers. Eighteen thousand dollars an acre. Two thousand dollar input. And, you know, one hundred acres. 200 acres just like that. Those are some real numbers. And so a lot of our folks in my area, we're looking at it. My cousin actually works at a CBD processing facility. So, you know, we there's already a lot of information which is gathering information from folks in the area were just, you know, asking questions. And I thought this is an association. Right. Which is, you know, networking and providing information and sharing information. So, you know, talking with fellow farmers and, you know, folks in the area, you know, we got together and said, you know, you want he wants we'll just create an association because that's what you're doing. And that's really how it formed. And, you know, we had investors, you know, put into get us started and, you know, here we are. And it's been a it's been a wonderful ride and very interesting. So that's kind of how it all happened.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:36:01] What a bonus for Hemp that you were bit by the bug. That is just fantastic. And one more thing on the checkoff program as we come to a close, because it is just so important to the industry and the fact that NHC is really taking the lead on that and being like we're we're gonna do this. I the gratitude is really words don't actually express. Can we talk a little bit about the check US funds being used for research and that advancing the industries?
Patrick Atagi: [00:36:32] Yeah, absolutely. Checkout programs can be used for education, advancing the industry. There's lot of research to be done.
Patrick Atagi: [00:36:41] You know, again, you know, talking about, you know, we're talking about, you know, with Knowler and, you know, those folks do that research is being done. And how it normally happens is, you know, it's kind of like people invest in it or just put the hours in and hope they get paid there. You know, if we can show the industry can show, you know, that we need to do that research in the United States. Right. It's it's been done in other countries, but they're just not recognized as as qualified to do it, even though it's good research. So that needs to be done in the US and, you know, organize. And, you know, you've you've been in those Oregon State University and other areas are very well qualified to do that. Oregon Health Science University.
Patrick Atagi: [00:37:22] Really top notch. Cornell. You know, obviously, Cornell is quite a leader, you know. Colorado State University.
Patrick Atagi: [00:37:30] But I should know better, my nieces at Cornell, so I should know better. Cornell is wonderful. Would be it would be a fantastic place to do the research.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:37:37] They are. I mean, Larry Smart and Jay Nola, they're they're just two peas in a pod. Two peas in a pod.
Patrick Atagi: [00:37:43] Yeah, they are. Very much so. Brittany, very great people. And again, Jay's in it, you know, because of the love of the industry and the crop, you know, very much so. I love him to death and but yeah. You know, could actually be used for that again, for promotion. But also, you know, we're looking at other programs at USDA, you know, that can be done now, used for research, again, not just, you know, on this CVD from but, you know, other areas of research for, say. But, you know, textiles, you know, Hemp is you know, it's a very sturdy fiber. But, you know, on the front end, yes. It's very, you know, environmental and, you know, low energy, low water use. Britain is, you know, on the back end. It requires a little bit more energy intensive work to get a pliable because it's you know, it's just like one step below the strength of steel. So it's great, you know, for stability, but, you know, to make it more stability.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:38:39] We've talked about it all the time. As we always say, we love that it's the longest, strongest fiber in the world after it's harvested and processed, right?
Patrick Atagi: [00:38:51] Absolutely. So, you know, the check ups are going to be used for, you know, a lot of things, you know, but, you know, it's research and promotion programs, you know, as we talked about. But again, I just really want to emphasize, it's not any one organization and she can't do it by itself. It just the program's not built that way. It takes everybody, you know, all organization. So, you know, U.S. Hemp roundtable, both Hemp and HRC, etc.. It's going to take all organizations. Yeah. All of us to work together. And, you know, I mean, I understand, you know, how things are, you know, and and, you know, backgrounds and that type of thing. But, you know, this is for the good of the order. You know, so that's the one thing I can say is just, you know, that this is for the good of the order. You know? Bigger than all of us. And, you know, really is a key piece to making him really mainstream. I think, you know, if you're messaging, it's like, you know, we need to make Hemp mainstream so it doesn't go the way of, you know, a buffalo meat or something to that effect where, you know, there's there's a niche market for it. But this could really be a mainstream market. Right. I mean, in terms of like cotton someplace, we're not even competing with cotton. You know, they talk about, oh, you speak with cotton, but California cotton is pretty much left the state because it's too water intensive. You know, where Hemp would be a wonderful, wonderful product crop to be grown?
Joyce Beckerman: [00:40:18] Absolutely. And don't get me started on the bow weevil. And the fact that the cotton crop takes up over 50 percent of the world's use of pesticides every year, only to produce for us an inferior short fiber.
Patrick Atagi: [00:40:32] Well, I'd be careful that cotton friends might get army. But I hear what you're saying.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:40:36] And so you're totally right. And I apologize. You know, I haven't done okay. No.
Patrick Atagi: [00:40:41] No apology necessary. Not at all. That's why you're out. You're so awesome because you're out there on the front end fighting. And I just really enjoyed working with you in the short time we've known each other. It's just it's really it's really refreshing and nice to run into a true believer and advocate.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:40:58] Well, I can't thank you enough. And I just want you to know, particularly in my capacity with these leadership roles, with these wonderful organizations that can support. They have the infrastructure and the funding and the function to support my aggressive agenda and all the passion that I have. And brother, as I can, can work with with you two to really get all of us together on this checkoff program. I just want you to know you can absolutely count on me. And and I'm very much looking forward to continuing this discussion. And and in the meantime, cheering on you and the National Industrial Hemp Council at Hemp Industrial Dot.com. Patrick, thank you so much for being with us today. And I'm going to look forward to having you back on now.
Patrick Atagi: [00:41:44] Thank you very much. I would look forward to that.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:41:47] Have a healthy, healthy weekend and we'll we'll talk with you again. And moving forward in each other's missions, it's just wonderful. And this John Johnson. I'm coming for John Johnson.
Patrick Atagi: [00:41:58] That's again. We're actually going to have a call with him next week. So sing me and we'll get you on the call.
Joyce Beckerman: [00:42:04] Beautiful. Oh, I would love it. Excellent. Once again, thank you so much, Patrick. And stay healthy.
Patrick Atagi: [00:42:09] You too. .
[00:42:24] I'm Larry Michigan. I'd like to invite you to join Jim Marty and me on our weekly podcast, the Deadhead Cannabis Show. Each week we explore the latest Cannabis GM then news to reminisce with other Cannabis industry, Deadheads and jam band aficionados. Of great musical acts we've seen and heard. Check out a new episode every Monday at MJBulls stock from or wherever you listen to purchase.
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