California Hemp Council

What California Hemp Council does

The California Hemp Council (CHC) is a non-profit trade association founded in 2019 and headquartered in Sacramento, California, that represents the statewide interests of the California hemp industry before the California State Legislature, Office of the Governor, and Executive Branch. Its mission is to provide a unified voice for in-state hemp cultivation, manufacturing, and use, and to influence legislative and regulatory issues including production frameworks, taxation, and CBD as a food additive. The organization does not develop or sell technology products; instead, it delivers advocacy services, educational initiatives, member take-action campaigns, legislative tracking resources, and operates a Political Action Committee (CHC PAC) to support aligned elected officials.

CHC's business model is funded through membership dues paid by hemp farmers, manufacturers, brands, and other industry stakeholders, supplemented by PAC donations processed via the eFundraisingConnections platform. Membership is acquired through a direct application process rather than publicly listed pricing, and the organization markets itself primarily through its website (calhempcouncil.com), which serves as the central hub for membership applications, legislative resources, and PAC donation collection. Day-to-day lobbying is executed by the contracted firm Politico Group, led by Director Eddie Bernacchi, while legal counsel is provided by Hoban Law Group via General Counsel Patrick Goggin, who also serves on the board of national partner Vote Hemp.

The member base spans three primary segments — hemp farmers seeking to enter California's legal hemp market, hemp manufacturers requiring favorable regulatory conditions for processing operations, and hemp brands seeking market access and coalition support. The council operates entirely within California (no international or multi-state footprint) and employs six people, consistent with a focused single-state advocacy organization rather than a diversified industry body. Notable policy achievements include sponsorship and passage of California Senate Bill 1409 in 2018, which legalized commercial hemp cultivation in the state.

Name

California Hemp Council

Legal name

California Hemp Council

Website

https://calhempcouncil.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The California Hemp Council is a Sacramento-based non-profit trade association founded in 2019 that advocates before California state government on behalf of hemp farmers, manufacturers, and brands, funded by membership dues and a political action committee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction (BPAGAGAJ)

Keywords

• Hemp industry advocacy
• Legislative lobbying services
• Trade association representation
• Political action committee
• Agricultural policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The CHC collects membership dues from hemp farmers, manufacturers, brands, and other industry stakeholders who join the council to gain advocacy representation and influence over California hemp policy.
2. Political Action Committee (PAC) Donations: The California Hemp Council established a Political Action Committee to support advocacy efforts. The CHC PAC accepts donations to support elected officials who align with the organization's mission to protect and expand in-state hemp cultivation, manufacturing, and use.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The California Hemp Council is a non-profit trade association that provides legislative and regulatory advocacy services on behalf of the California hemp industry before the state Legislature, Governor's Office, and Executive Branch. It offers membership to hemp farmers, manufacturers, and brands, conducts educational outreach to lawmakers, sponsors hemp-related legislation, and operates a Political Action Committee (CHC PAC) that accepts donations to support pro-hemp candidates.

Product overview

The California Hemp Council (CHC) is a trade association and advocacy organization, not a product company. It provides advocacy services, educational initiatives, and a Political Action Committee (PAC) for the hemp industry in California. The organization focuses on representing the statewide interests of the hemp industry, including protection and expansion of in-state cultivation, manufacturing, and use of hemp, through legislative and regulatory advocacy before the California State Legislature, Office of the Governor, and Executive Branch. CHC membership is available to hemp industry stakeholders who wish to influence policymaking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CHC Membership Membership program for hemp farmers, manufacturers, brands, and other industry stakeholders that provides advocacy representation before the California State Legislature, Office of the Governor, and Executive Branch; access to legislative tracking resources; take-action campaigns; and coalition-building opportunities.
• State Advocacy Services Legislative and regulatory advocacy services delivered to CHC members before the California State Legislature, Office of the Governor, and Executive Branch, including state agencies, departments, boards, and commissions. Includes proactive sponsorship of hemp-related legislation and budget proposals and communication of the industry's united position.
• CHC Political Action Committee (PAC) Political Action Committee that accepts donations to support elected officials aligned with CHC's mission to protect and expand in-state hemp cultivation, manufacturing, and use. Operates via the eFundraisingConnections donation platform.
• Hemp Industry Education and Legislative Resources Educational resources for California lawmakers and members about the history, benefits, and current state of the hemp industry, along with curated links to California State Assembly, Senate, Legislative Information, Assembly Daily File, Senate Daily File, Legislative Analyst's Office, and Senate Office of Research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully sponsored and passed California Senate Bill 1409 (Chapter No. 986, Statutes of 2018) to allow California farmers to enter the hemp market

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hoban Law GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoban Law Group serves as the legal counsel for the California Hemp Council, providing legal expertise on hemp and cannabis reform. Mr. Patrick Goggin, Senior Attorney at Hoban Law Group, serves as the CHC's General Counsel and has spent two decades on the legal frontlines of industrial hemp reform, including co-counsel in the seminal HIA v. DEA cases and the 2013 California Industrial Hemp Farming Act effort.
• Vote HempcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVote Hemp is a national advocacy organization with shared goals for commercial hemp farming. Mr. Goggin sits on the boards of both CHC and Vote Hemp, indicating a collaborative relationship between the organizations to implement commercial hemp farming, processing, and manufacturing in California.
• Politico GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitico Group is the contracted lobbying firm for the California Hemp Council, led by Mr. Eddie Bernacchi who serves as Director and Legislative Advocate. The firm manages the CHC's lobbying efforts and client portfolio in California state government.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Hoban Law Group: Cannabis and industrial hemp law firm; comparable as a strategic ecosystem participant providing legal counsel to hemp industry advocacy (serves as CHC's General Counsel) and overlapping advocacy on cannabis reform.
• NORML: National marijuana reform advocacy organization; comparable as a cannabis/hemp policy advocacy group with state-level chapters and overlapping regulatory reform objectives, particularly around CBD and plant-derived products.

Direct peers

• California Cannabis Industry Association: California state trade association for the licensed cannabis industry; comparable as a Sacramento-based state-level advocacy body representing a closely related plant-derived industry with overlapping regulatory and stakeholder dynamics.
• National Hemp Association: Industry trade association representing hemp farmers, processors, and manufacturers nationwide; directly comparable as a membership-based hemp industry advocacy organization.
• Vote Hemp: National advocacy organization dedicated to commercial hemp farming; comparable as a hemp-focused trade/advocacy body, and explicitly named as a strategic partner with shared board representation via Patrick Goggin.
• U.S. Hemp Authority: Industry self-regulatory and certification body for hemp; comparable as a hemp-specific industry organization focused on standards, certification, and market legitimacy for hemp-derived products.
• Industrial Hemp Association: Hemp industry trade organization focused on industrial hemp applications including fiber, grain, and CBD; directly comparable membership-based advocacy body serving hemp cultivators and processors.

Broad incumbents

• California Farm Bureau: Largest California agricultural trade association; comparable as a Sacramento-based farm industry advocacy body representing agricultural producers including emerging crops, with overlapping legislative and regulatory engagement on cultivation policy.
• National Cannabis Industry Association: Largest national trade association for the cannabis industry; comparable as a multi-state advocacy organization serving licensed cannabis operators, with overlapping policy interests in cultivation, manufacturing, and CBD regulation.

Others

• Politico Group: California lobbying firm contracted by CHC; adjacent ecosystem participant providing government relations services and directly comparable as a Sacramento-based lobbying shop representing hemp industry clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-hemp-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 California Hemp Council