Bluebird CEO Brandon Beatty Elected Executive Vice President of U.S. Hemp Roundtable

Bluebird Botanicals CEO and founder Brandon Beatty has always maintained a commitment to driving the future of hemp forward. As a passionate hemp advocate, he has worked hard with legislative groups to make a lasting impact in the industry.

Over the past two years, Beatty and the Bluebird Botanicals team have been heavily involved with the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable is a 501(c)(4) non-profit lobbying organization consisting of dozens of hemp companies and the industry’s major national grassroots organizations. Their mission includes focused lobbying efforts in state capitals to fully legalize hemp and hemp-derived products, facilitating information exchange with law enforcement and federal agency officials, and continued long-term legislative advocacy on other major policy issues.

In January of 2019, Beatty was appointed Executive Vice President of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. This leadership role comes from his involvement with the Roundtable’s policy efforts. In his position as the chairman of the Policy and Messaging Committee, he has led strategic communication efforts and government affairs. He most recently assisted in drafting the language of the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 that was ultimately passed in the 2018 Farm Bill.

“The hemp industry had a major win with the 2018 Farm Bill being passed last year, but the fight’s not over yet. It’s more important than ever for hemp advocates to work together and fight the stigma that still pervades the industry today. I believe that my drive and passion for the industry will help me serve the industry well through my new leadership role in the U.S. Hemp Roundtable,” said Beatty.

Additionally, Beatty has also been recently confirmed as a board member for the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) representing the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. The Hemp Industries Association is a 501(c)(6) business trade association representing more than 1,000 supporters, farmers, and business members serving the hemp industries since 1994. Bluebird is involved both with the national organization as well as its local chapter, the Colorado Hemp Industries Association (COHIA). As a board member, Beatty will be closely involved with the organization’s strategic planning and legislative work.

The HIA has played an instrumental role in developing hemp legislation. Back in 2001, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) spontaneously issued an interpretive rule banning hemp food products, including hemp seeds and hemp seed oil, that contained any trace amount of THC. As a result, the HIA filed an urgent motion of stay to block this ruling. The court ultimately ruled in their favor in 2004, professing that the DEA had no authority to regulate substances that are not scheduled.

“It is a privilege to be involved with such an impactful association,” said Beatty. “People always say that they want to make a difference, but this group has actually done that. This is really important work we’re doing, and I look forward to continuing to drive the hemp industry forward with these leaders.”

Bluebird Botanicals remains committed to driving positive change in the industry. In addition to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable and HIA, Beatty also serves on the Steering Committee of the Colorado Hemp Agricultural Advancement Guild (CHAAG) as well as the Cannabis and Government Relations committees for the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). Likewise, Bluebird’s Director of Operations David Sommer serves on AHPA’s Standards and Analytics Laboratories committees.

Read more about Bluebird’s industry partnerships and alliances.