Hemp Feed Coalition

What Hemp Feed Coalition does

The Hemp Feed Coalition (HFC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit advocacy organization founded in 2018 as a pilot project under the Colorado Hemp Industries Association and incorporated independently in 2020, headquartered in Fort Benton, Montana. Its mission is to secure federal regulatory approval for hemp and its byproducts as animal feed ingredients, thereby opening the multi-billion-dollar US feed market to hemp producers and processors. The coalition's tangible output is ingredient definitions: its Hemp Seed Meal for Laying Hens application (Definition T71.5) received a 48-0 AAFCO member vote in August 2024 and was published in the AAFCO Official Publication in August 2025 — the first federally approved hemp feed ingredient in the United States.

HFC does not sell a product; it operates a coalition-and-research model in which universities (Kansas State, Oregon State, Tarleton State, North Dakota State, Colorado State, Tuskegee, University of Saskatchewan) conduct clinical feed trials, industry partners supply hemp seed meal samples and analytical method development (notably Eurofins' FDA-CVM-approved LC/MS cannabinoid test), and HFC coordinates the resulting data into AAFCO and FDA-CVM ingredient definition submissions. The organization is pursuing follow-on applications for ruminants, broilers, and equine, and runs a monthly science-based webinar series, the MemberZone research library, and state-level policy advocacy across 13 states with passed or introduced hemp feed legislation.

HFC's revenue model is a nonprofit funding stack built on tiered memberships ($25 Supporter through $10,000 Victor with marketing benefits and board access), tax-deductible donations (facilitated through GiveButter), and corporate sponsorships. The board and steering committee comprise executives from core industry stakeholders (IND HEMP, New West Genetics, Bish Enterprises, Eurofins, Wenger Feeds), trade associations (National Animal Supplements Council, Midwest Hemp Council, Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance), and academic researchers — a governance structure that locks in cross-stakeholder alignment but creates concentration around a small set of sponsoring companies.

Name

Hemp Feed Coalition

Legal name

Hemp Feed Coalition

Website

https://hempfeedcoalition.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Hemp Feed Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that secures federal regulatory approval for hemp and its byproducts as animal feed ingredients, serving hemp producers, processors, livestock operators, feed manufacturers, and academic researchers across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Regulatory Advocacy

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

HACCP/Preventive Controls (HARPC) Plan Development & Validation (AFALADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Feed Safety & Quality Program Design (HACCP/PCQI support, mycotoxin control plans) (AFADAMAE)

Keywords

• Animal feed regulation
• Hemp advocacy coalition
• Feed ingredient research
• Agricultural non-profit
• Livestock feed safety

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $25 to $10,000 offering tiered benefits including website recognition, discounts, event access, and newsletter placement.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from supporters to fund research and regulatory efforts for hemp feed approval.
3. Sponsorships: Marketing opportunities for businesses and farms through sponsorship tiers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hemp Feed Coalition (HFC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that drives federal regulatory approval of industrial hemp and its byproducts as legal ingredients in animal feed. The coalition coordinates scientific research, regulatory submissions, and industry advocacy across hemp growers, processors, feed manufacturers, and academic partners. It was originally launched in 2018 as a pilot under the Colorado Hemp Industries Association (COHIA) and became an independent non-profit in 2020.

Product overview

The Hemp Feed Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on gaining federal approval for hemp and its by-products as animal feed ingredients. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather provides advocacy services, educational programs (including a monthly Webinar Series), and coordinates research initiatives. The primary tangible output is the regulatory approval process culminating in ingredient definitions such as Hemp Seed Meal for Laying Hens (Definition T71.5), which represents the first federally approved hemp feed ingredient. The coalition also offers membership programs at various tiers providing access to research resources and industry networking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hemp Seed Meal for Laying Hens Regulatory Approval
• HFC Membership Program
• Regulatory Advocacy Services
• Hemp Feed Research Coordination
• HFC Webinar Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Eggs from hemp-fed hens contain enriched essential fatty acids including ALA, DHA, GLA, and increased Lutein
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and champion.

• IND HEMPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHemp food, feed, and fiber company based in Fort Benton, Montana. Co-founded by Ken Elliott and Morgan Tweet. Morgan Tweet serves as HFC Executive Director. Provided capital resources, high-quality hemp seed meal samples, GAP Assessment sponsorship, and regulatory communication support. IND HEMP received the first-ever hemp license in Montana in 2015.
• New West GeneticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeed genetics company providing innovative genetics for the hemp industry since 2014. Created the first US-bred AOSCA certified seed and first successful PVP on a hemp variety. Wendy Mosher, President & CEO, serves as HFC Vice President. Donated $10,000 to HFC.
• Bish EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural manufacturing company. Andrew Bish serves as HFC President and COO. Founded Hemp Harvest Works and became Founding Partner of Global Fiber Processing. Major contributor to HFC efforts.
• EurofinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading nutrient, contaminant, and microbiology laboratory with 90+ years of experience. Developed new analytical LC/MS method for cannabinoid potency testing approved by FDA-CVM. Provided scientific rigor essential for HSM approval process. Vanessa Snyder serves as Business Development Director for Hemp and Botanicals within Eurofins.
• Wenger FeedscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeed manufacturer that formulated the laying hen feed and conducted feed trials for HSM application. Dr. Raj Kasula serves as VP & Chief Nutrition Officer of The Wenger Group.
• Kansas State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner conducting hemp feed research. Dr. Michael Kleinhenz leads research efforts. Collaborated on tolerability studies and feed trials. Working with FDA-level feed study for cannabinoid analysis.
• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Dr. Mossimo Bionaz conducting hemp feed research including studies on hemp byproducts in lamb diets.
• Tarleton State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Dr. Kimberly Guay conducting hemp feed research for horses and other species. Collaborated on Texas hemp feed approval and feed trials.
• North Dakota State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Dr. Kendall Swanson conducting hemp feed research.
• Colorado State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Dr. Shawn Archebuque conducting hemp feed research.
• Tuskegee UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Dr. Nar Gurung conducting hemp feed research.
• Midwest Hemp CouncilstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading trade organization in the Midwest working to build and connect the hemp supply chain. Justin Swanson serves as co-founder and president.
• Canadian Hemp Trade AlliancestrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partner representing Canadian hemp industry interests and trade.
• National Animal Supplements CouncilstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's leading trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers of health and nutritional supplements for dogs, cats, and horses. Bill Bookout serves as president and board chair.
• Victory HempchampionStrategic or Co-development PartnerBen Raymond serves as Director of R&D and is on HFC Steering Committee. Provided critical resources and expertise for hemp-based feed research.
• Healthy OilseedschampionStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided hemp seed meal samples for research and supported state grant initiatives for ingredient analysis.
• Kentucky Hemp WorkschampionStrategic or Co-development PartnerHemp seed processor contributing samples and support for HSM approval process.
• University of SaskatchewancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with Dr. Rex Newkirk conducting hemp feed research.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hemp Industries Association: Long-standing hemp trade association representing growers, processors, and manufacturers. A directly comparable nonprofit industry-advocacy model, pursuing broader market access for hemp-derived products including feed, supplements, and food.
• National Hemp Association: Trade association for the US hemp industry, overlapping membership base with HFC (e.g., shared board and member organizations). Pursues federal and state policy objectives complementary to HFC's feed-focused regulatory work.
• Vote Hemp: National hemp policy and legalization advocacy organization. Highly comparable as a nonprofit advocacy group focused on expanding hemp's legal footprint, including feed, food, and fiber use cases that overlap with HFC's mission.
• National Industrial Hemp Council: US hemp industry trade and policy advocacy organization. Operates in the same nonprofit advocacy model as HFC, working with federal regulators (USDA/Congress) to expand market access for industrial hemp, including feed applications.
• National Animal Supplement Council: Trade association representing animal supplement manufacturers and suppliers, including hemp-derived products. An active strategic partner of HFC; comparable as a nonprofit advocacy organization focused on AAFCO/state regulatory pathways for animal-input ingredients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hempfeedcoalition6799
• Facebookfacebook.com/HempFeedCoalition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hempfeedcoalition
• Instagraminstagram.com/hempfeedcoalition/?hl=en
• Xx.com/FeedHemp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hemp Feed Coalition