The Canadian Industrial Hemp Promotion-Research Agency (CIHPRA), operating as Hemp Canada Chanvre (HCC), has announced its first permanent board of directors.
Following a nationwide call for nominations and engagement with producers and stakeholders, nine individuals have now been formally appointed. The board comprises seven regional producer representatives:
ALBERTA: Will Van Roessel
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Peter Dushop
MANITOBA: Adam Gregory
ONTARIO: Reuben Stone
ATLANTIC CANADA: Antonio Bramante
QUEBEC: Dany Lefebvre
SASKATCHEWAN: Rob Ardell
Marc van Burck of HPS Food & Ingredients will represent importers on the board, and Ryan Meade of Manitoba Harvest will act as representation for the supply chain. This composition reflects a broad, national perspective and a diverse cross-section of Canada’s dynamic hemp value chain, the organization says.
Will Van Roessel will serve as chair. He brings more than a decade of direct experience in hemp cultivation and industry development. He and his wife operate Specialty Seeds Ltd., an irrigated farm, where they have grown industrial hemp for 14 years.
Reuben Stone will serve as vice-chair. A long-time hemp grower in Ontario’s Ottawa Valley, Stone began cultivating the crop in 2009 and has consistently grown 200 to 400 acres annually. He is the founder of Uniseeds Inc., specializing in monoecious grain and fibre pedigreed seed genetics.
Syeda Khurram will lead operational priorities as executive director.
HCC was officially proclaimed on November 20, 2024, under the Farm Products Agencies Act, and began operations with an interim board on November 27, 2024. The agency was established to provide a coordinated, national approach to hemp promotion and research, supporting sustainable growth and international market expansion.
With the permanent board now in place, HCC will advance its top priorities, including the development of by-laws, levy orders, and initiation of strategic programming that will benefit hemp producers and stakeholders across the country.
