New Mentor Program for Black Hemp Farmers Announced by Charlotte’s Web
In keeping with its ‘Ten Commitments to Black Lives’ announced in June, 2020, Charlotte’s Web, Inc. (“Charlotte’s Web”), a certified B Corp and the world’s most trusted hemp brand, is launching today “Seeding Our Future, Together,” a mentorship program for Black hemp farmers and leaders. Charlotte’s Web is partnering with 40-acre Cooperative, a growing organization with over 50 farmer members in seven states. 40 Acres Cooperative is the first national cooperative to serve Black farmers launched in over a hundred years. The goal of the partnership is to begin to reverse the woeful underrepresentation of Black farmers, businesspeople, scientists, and leaders in the hemp industry.
“Greater diversity in our company and in the hemp industry may not happen swiftly, but working together with The 40-acre Co-op on our new ‘Seeding Our Future, Together’ mentor program is a way to move forward by sharing our knowledge, our science, and our cultivation expertise with Black farmers and other agricultural leaders in the black community,” said Deanie Elsner, President and CEO of Charlotte’s Web.
In 1920, there were nearly a million Black farmers in the United States. Today the number is 45,508. And that accounts for just 1.3% of the nearly 3.4 million farmers in the country, according to a 2017 census by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Those troubling statistics inspired Angela Dawson, a hemp farmer, to take societal change into her own hands to reverse those numbers. She founded the Minneapolis-based co-op in 2019.
“This is the beginning of an important shift in the industry and we intend to use this momentum to create lasting and impactful change,” said Dawson, Founder and President of the 40-acre Cooperative.
The 40-acre Cooperative (FAC) will advise on the expertise most relevant and timely for their cooperative members and staff. FAC will also educate Charlotte’s Web employees and leadership team on challenges and opportunities for the Black hemp farming and manufacturing community beginning with a Charlotte’s Web employee Lunch and Learn with Angela Dawson on Feb. 26, 2021.
The 40-acre Cooperative is a swiftly growing and entrepreneurial organization whose mission aligns with the Charlotte’s Web’s vision of a healthier planet for everyone. As part of “Growing Our Future, Together” Charlotte’s Web will donate some of its U.S. patented Lindorea hemp seed to 40-acre Cooperative farmers for the 2021 growing season planting.
“This collaboration is important for our entire hemp industry so it may achieve a wider potential for innovation through diversity. Our Charlotte’s Web Cultivation Team is excited to share our knowledge of organic hemp farming, and we know we will also gain knowledge from our work with the 40-acre Cooperative and its farming members,” said Jared Stanley, Chief Cultivation Officer for Charlotte’s Web and co-founder.
About The 40-acre Cooperative:
Founded in 2019, 40-acre Cooperative is a Minnesota-based and farmer owned cooperative focusing on bringing equity and innovation to Black, Indigenous and other farmers with a mission to promote agricultural development and economic equity for socially disadvantaged farmers. The co-op provides training, supplies and leadership specifically focusing on resource gaps with its members in seven states.
About Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc.
Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc., a Certified B Corporation headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, is the market leader in the production and distribution of innovative hemp-derived cannabidiol (“CBD”) wellness products under a family of brands which includes Charlotte’s Web™, CBD Medic™, CBD Clinic™, and Harmony Hemp. The Company’s premium quality products start with proprietary hemp genetics that are 100-percent American farm grown and manufactured into whole-plant hemp extracts containing a full spectrum of naturally occurring phytocannabinoids including CBD, CBC, CBG, terpenes, flavonoids and other beneficial hemp compounds. Charlotte’s Web product categories include CBD oil tinctures (liquid products), CBD gummies (sleep, stress, inflammation recovery), CBD capsules, CBD topical creams and lotions, as well as CBD pet products for dogs. Charlotte’s Web is the number one CBD brand in the USA and distributed through more than 22,000 retail locations, select distributors and online through the Company’s website at www.CharlottesWeb.com.
Charlotte’s Web was founded by the Stanley Brothers with a mission to unleash the healing powers of botanicals through compassion and science, benefiting the planet and all who live upon it. Charlotte’s Web is a socially and environmentally conscious company and is committed to using business as a force for good and a catalyst for innovation. The Company weighs sound business decisions with consideration for how its efforts affect employees, customers, the environment, and diverse communities. The rate the Company pays for agricultural products reflects a fair and sustainable rate driving higher quality yield, encouraging regenerative farming practices, and supporting U.S. farming communities. Management believes that its socially oriented and environmentally responsible actions have a positive impact on its customers, suppliers, employees, and stakeholders. Charlotte’s Web donates a portion of its pre-tax earnings to charitable organizations.
