We are just emerging. In 2026, we look forward to expanding our outreach and deepening conversations—please join us.
At NoCo 2025 we meet with many allies working in hemp.
By mid 2024, the industry was experiencing a renaissance. That’s to say, that across the world and North America, entrepreneurs , farmers and allies were creating hemp products- from hemp insulation to hemp wood, the Prairie Band Potawatami was creating hemp food service products at minokwiien ( Look up) and link. Our people were gathering and farmers were interested. In 2024 and 2025, we gathered with NOCO to discuss hemp further.
We could see that there continued to be a great need for the development of hemp seeds, hemp farmers, and great potential in value added processing in hemp. We gathered at the Lower Sioux Reservation, where Danny DeJarlais and the Lower Sioux were hosting the International Hemp Building Association ( Link ) By this time, our numbers had begun to grow.
Participants at 2025 IHCFC gathering
Today we are organizing the foundation of the indigenous Hemp and Cannabis Farmers Cooperative . We intend for this cooperative to support restoration of Indigenous lands, indigenous economies, and revitalize a hemp economy as the solution and future for the materials economy, and provide a pathway to protect our Mother Earth and future generations. We are founded on the principles of restoration. And of the Indigenous Standard, We see hemp as the crop of the future. And a pathway towards just restoration of relations with Mother Earth, and equity of indigenous Nations.
Link to Patagonia film on history of hemp
Over the past few years, we’ve connected with many allies who are also working with hemp. By mid-2024, the industry was experiencing a renaissance: entrepreneurs, farmers, and collaborators across North America and the world were creating hemp products—from insulation to hemp-based wood. The Prairie Band Ag LLC (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) has developed hemp food service products at Minokwiien, and our people were gathering, farmers were connecting, and interest was growing. In 2024 and 2025, we joined discussions with NOCO to further explore hemp opportunities.
We saw firsthand the continuing need for seed development, farmer support, and value-added processing. We gathered at the Lower Sioux Reservation, where Danny DeJarlais and the Lower Sioux Tribe hosted the International Hemp Building Association. By this time, our network had begun to grow, and momentum was building.
Today, we are laying the foundation for the Indigenous Hemp and Cannabis Farmers Cooperative. Our cooperative is dedicated to restoring Indigenous lands, revitalizing Indigenous economies, and rebuilding a hemp-based materials economy as a pathway to protect Mother Earth and future generations. Founded on the principles of restoration and the Indigenous Standard, we see hemp as the crop of the future—a means to achieve just restoration with the land, and equity and self-determination for Indigenous Nations.