Executive Board

Ted Haney

Board Chair

President & Ceo
Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA)
Calgary, AB, Canada

Ted Haney manages the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance – representing the industry in both domestic and international markets.  Ted’s dedication to international cooperation within the global hemp industry has been demonstrated by his leading roles in: facilitating cooperative hemp research and standards development within the CHTA; elevating the profile of hemp within the ASTM International Cannabis Committee (D37) and Co-Chairing its Industrial Hemp Subcommittee (D37.07); and, forming the Federation of International Hemp Organizations.

Ted earned his MSc in Agriculture (1991) from the University of Alberta; specializing in natural resource economics.  Ted managed Canada’s national beef export organization in a diverse cultural environment for 20 years.  While serving on the International Meat Secretariate Executive Council, he represented that organization in the FAO Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock process.

Ted was appointed as Federation of International Hemp Organizations (FIHO) interim Board Chair in March 2022 and elected as Board Chair in November 2022.  He is committed to FIHO success.  Ted enjoys working cooperatively with Directors, members, and key stakeholders in developing FIHO as a vital organization that allows the global hemp industry to collaborate, coordinate, communicate, and remove key barriers to industry growth and development.

 

Top 3 Board Skills

Governance, Policy/Advocacy, Leadership/Teamwork

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Daniel Kruse

Director, Board Vice-Chair

President
European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA)
Brussels, Belgium

In 1995, Daniel started his career in the industrial hemp industry to realise his vision: the successful combination of ecology and economy. As the Founder and Managing Director of Hempro International GmbH and HempConsult GmbH, two of Europe’s leading hemp players, he has decades of experience in hemp food production.

Since 2013, Daniel has served as a board member of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA). In 2019, he was elected President of EIHA for the first time and re-elected for another term in 2021. At EIHA Daniel is particularly active in his field of knowledge of cannabinoids in foods. His cooperation with international experts and the advisory committee of EIHA combines the profound know-how from practice and science in the hemp and food industry.

Daniel was appointed as the Federation of International Hemp Organizations (FIHO) interim Vice-Chair March 2022 and elected as Vice Board Chair in November 2022. Serving as a FIHO Director allows him to assist the global hemp industry reach its ecological and economic goals.

Top 3 Board Skills

Business/Management, Risk Management, Hemp Food ProcessingPresident

European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA)

Brussels, Belgium

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Patrick Atagi

Director and Treasurer

President and CEO
National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC)
Washington, DC, USA
 
Patrick Atagi is President and CEO of NIHC, and leads international, federal, state, private industry, and government professionals throughout the United States in the hemp industry. Under Atagi’s leadership, NIHC’s goals are to further market development, assist members in entering the industry, and educate the consumer on industrial hemp and its applications.  Educating consumers is of paramount importance for NIHC.
Atagi served as the Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the United States Department of Agriculture under President George W. Bush. He worked for the US  Apple Association, UnitedFresh, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture  (NASDA), been the Secretariat for the World Chlorine Council, and the American Chemistry  Council.
Atagi is committed to making hemp a global agricultural commodity; to give the world another tool to end climate change due to human activities. Also, to protect consumers and provide them with knowledge to make wise choices. In the marketplace.
 
Top 3 Board Skills
Business/Management, Hemp Production, Financial/Accounting
 
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Charles Kovess

Director AND Secretary, Communications & Engagement Committee Co-Chair, Policy and Regulation Committee Chair

President
Australian Industrial Hemp Alliance (AIHA)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

CEO of Textile & Composite Industries Pty Ltd, Australian supplier of the D8 Decorticator. Since 2012. Secretary of Australian Industrial Hemp Alliance since 2017 and Charles became President in 2023.

Practised as commercial and tax lawyer for 20 years, after graduating with Honours Degree in Law. Also gained Masters Degree in Law a few years later. Partner in the 10th largest law firm in Australia before changing career in 1993 to be a professional speaker, educator, author and executive coach, focusing on passion, leadership, strategy and team building. Consulted to 35 of Australia’s largest corporations over the years on these fields.

As a FIHO Director, Charles brings an Australian perspective to global expansion of hemp and the desire to contribute the benefit of 29 years’ experience in hemp from TCI that has been passed on to him. Charles is committed to hemp becoming a mainstream, large agribusiness globally, rather than a cottage industry.

 

 

Top 3 Board Skills

Governance, Business/Management, Legal/Regulatory

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Board Members

Hunter Buffington

Director, Sustainability Committee - Chair

In my current on the Policy Committee of the National Industrial Hemp Council, I utilize my experience in emerging industries and system modeling to review and understand federal and state policy, legislation, regulation and research impacts on the hemp industry. This includes reviewing legislation, rules and statutes and working closely with researchers and Departments of Agriculture.  I also own and operate Ag Policy Solutions, which provides services that connect innovative agribusinesses and farmers to resources, research, and partners that accelerate opportunities to benefit rural economies.

 

I received my Master’s degree in 2010 in Nonprofit Management and sustainable development using system applications. I have worked internationally with marginalized communities working to develop their economies and mitigate climate pressures. In the hemp industry I was the executive Director of the Colorado Hemp Industries Association from its beginning in 2014 until I became the executive director for the Hemp Feed Coalition from 2018-2021, when I then joined Santa Fe Farms.

 

There is a need for global engagement and collaboration to ensure that industrial hemp can reach its full market potential and access. To achieve this researchers and policy experts from across the globe need to work together to overcome the stigma of cannabis and stabilize the hemp supply chain to grow hemp markets across the world. While the US is still developing hemp knowledge and production; many parts of the world never suffered prohibition; meanwhile climate change and the emerging carbon market need to be synergized with agriculture production and manufacturing processes.  As a FIHO Director, I work to bring these goals to fruition.

 

Top 3 Board Skills

Governance, Business/Management, Legal/Regulatory

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Kyle Bingham

Director

President
Texas Hemp Growers Association (TxHGA)
Meadow, TX, USA

Kyle Bingham is a 5th generation Texas farmer, serving as Managing Partner for Bingham Organic Farms and Bingham Family Vineyards and Winery. The Bingham family were some of the first organic cotton growers in Texas, instrumental in the establishment of the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Co-op. Among the first grape growers on the High Plains, Bingham Vineyards was influential in developing another thriving industry for their rural community.

 

 

Continuing the tradition of diversification, Kyle began exploring hemp as a rotational crop option in 2019. Since that time, he has hosted the most extensive on-farm trials for hemp fiber and grain in the state of Texas. As President of the Texas Hemp Growers Association, Kyle has built an international network and developed a reputation for his knowledge across the entire industrial hemp value stream. From genetics and agronomic practices to end-product development, Kyle has an unparalleled understanding of hemp from the unique perspective of the row crop farmer. In addition to the ASTM D37 Committee Kyle serves on the working committee for the newly established Federation of International Hemp Organizations.

 

 

 

Top 3 Board Skills

Business/Management, Legal/Regulatory, Risk Management

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Joseph Hickey Sr

DirectoR, COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT CO-CHAIR

President
Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association (KHGCA)
Lexington, KY, USA

 

In 1993, Joseph Hickey discovered and revived the 1942 Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association and began collecting feral Kentucky hemp seeds. Then in 1994 encouraged Governor Jones to create Kentucky’s Hemp Task Force helping raise National awareness for hemp farming in America. Joe organized America’s first International Hemp Conference in 1996 and afterwards strategized with Woody Harrelson to plant four hemp seeds to test Kentucky law. He helped gain support from Kentucky and National Farm Bureaus for hemp research and farming and in 1998 was a founding board member of Kenex Ltd., the first commercial industrial hemp fiber and seed operation in Canada.

 

Joe was involved in drafting and passing Kentucky’s first hemp legislation in 2001 and is a founding member of the non-profits Friends of Hemp, Hemp Industries Association, Kentucky Hemp Association, U.S. Standing Committee of Hemp Organizations, and Global Hemp Association Advisory Board.

 

Top 3 Board Skills

Business/Management, Marketing/Promotion, Public Relations/Media

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Rachele Invernizzi

Director

Director
European Industrial Hemp Association
Brussels, Belgium

 

Rachele Invernizzi has been in the hemp industry since 2011. Since that
time, she has owned and operated South Hemp. The company involved
with agriculture production through processing hemp straw. This has
allowed Rachele to develop good experience in both agriculture
production, hemp straw decortication and scutching lines, hempseed
production, and hempseed processing for oil and flour.

 

Rachele Invernizzi is a Director the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA). Rachele has served on
the board of EIHA since 2017. She has supported EIHA in the areas of agriculture, fibre and shives,
construction and textile sectors.
Rachele is Vice President of Federcanapa and founder (2016) of the Italian Federation of Industrial
Producers. These associations lobby at a national level, working alongside government technicians to
develop laws/certifications/standards that allow our members to work, produce and sell all the products
that can be obtained from the plant, in a clear and regulated manner.


Mr. Invernizzi has also been a consultant in Italy and abroad for projects on industrial hemp, from the
supply chain to the finished product.
Rachele’s mother tongue is Italian. She also speaks French well and is improving her English.

 

Top 3 Board Skills

Human Resources, Risk Management, and Policy/Advocacy

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Keanan Stone

Director, Research and Standards Committee Co-Chair

Vice Chair, Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA)

 

Keanan Stone is currently General Manager of Valley Bio Limited, a registered seed establishment and varietal research site.  Together with her husband Reuben, they run Stone Farms, a 1,000 acre seed production farm specializing in pedigree seed production of hemp, soybeans, cereals and other niche crops.

 

 

Born and raised in rural Ontario, Keanan is a committed “agvocate” and avid community volunteer. She is currently serving as a director for the Renfrew Federation of Agriculture, is past chair of the Renfrew Victoria Hospital board of directors and is a past president of the Boys and Girls Club of Pembroke. Keanan and Reuben are also active members of several industry associations, including the Canadian Seed Growers Association and Ontario Soil Health Network.

 

 

Keanan and Reuben currently reside in Micksburg, Ontario with their four beautiful children, Blair, Bridget, Enid and Heidi.

 

 

Top 3 Board Skills

Governance, Business Management, Public Relations/Media