About Us

We are a community of like-minded hemp farmers who have banded together and are focusing on encouraging a flourishing hemp industry in Michigan.

The Michigan Hemp Farmer Association is specifically focused on small craft hemp farmers, or those who have 5 acres or less of hemp to farm. Our mission is to lift up and educate small craft hemp farmers on entering and thriving in the hemp industry, especially women and people of color.

As a grassroots organization, we also strive to give craft hemp growers a voice in the local, state and federal governments. We encourage these farmers to speak up and educate their neighbors on hemp laws and regulations, while also giving priority to small farmers over large corporations.

Our Founders

The Michigan Hemp Farmer Association was founded in 2014 by Joe Brown of Brown Farmacy, a small craft hemp farm in Saranac, Michigan.

Joe got the idea to start the association after attending various legalized industrial hemp trade shows. He felt that the trade shows had a too-corporate feel that were focused only on selling (sometimes unsavory) products to farmers. Joe wanted to create a community space for hemp growers to gather, learn and promote each other. In addition, he shaped the association to encourage women and people of color to break into the hemp industry. Unfortunately, women and people of color are underrepresented in the industrial hemp industry.

Joe also wanted to create a society that could shape industrial hemp laws for the benefit of the small farmer, not the corporations. Since Joe received one of the first federal hemp licenses in the country, he’s been passionate about molding rules and regulations to help small craft hemp farmers.

The Michigan Hemp Farmer Association is run by two boards: the Advisory Board and the Board of Directors.

The Advisory Board is appointed by the Board of Directors and includes prominent figures in the hemp farming industry..

The Board of Directors includes Joe Brown, his wife, and son, Russ Brown. The Brown family and Holy Ground C.O.C. provided monetary support to establish the MHFA and continue to offer leadership and financial support.

The Boards frequently meet to discuss the state of the association and create events to help farmers.

What We Offer

Classes on hemp production are pretty rare to find. Even more rare are classes on the business of hemp farming.

The Michigan Hemp Farmer Association strives to remedy that.

By becoming a member of the association, you are automatically entitled to attend 3 events per year that educate small craft hemp farmers. For information about our events, click here.

The Michigan hemp industry is still in its infancy, so it’s only natural that many farmers are overwhelmed with where to begin in the industry.

In addition to classes that educate and inspire, the community within the association is invaluable to novice and experienced hemp growers alike. Joe Brown encourages everyone in the association to uplift one another and invite newcomers to join the industry.

Each personal membership costs $50 and guarantees you admission to all three events for the year. To become a member, call (616) 902-4666 or fill out our contact form.