Staff
Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) has acquired American hemp company AgriNextUSA in a cash deal for an undisclosed amount. The company did note that purchase was not material to its current cash position and that the transaction would speed up Canopy Growth’s entry into key markets in the United States.
AgriNext is a hemp enterprise led by CEO Geoff Whaling, that has been at the forefront of hemp advocacy and building a vibrant hemp sector in the USA.
“The United States is the next stop on Canopy Growth’s desired path to becoming a leading, revenue-generating company focused on all aspects of cannabinoids and their potential,” said Bruce Linton, co-CEO and Chairman of Canopy Growth. “Our significant investments, acquisitions, and compilation of talented leaders such as Geoff will position us for swift expansion throughout the United States. By collaborating with a pioneer like Geoff, who has been involved with our team since our earliest days in 2013, we will aim to turn hemp supplied by American farmers into a wide range of products.”
Canopy Growth had previously announced that it was on track to build the first Hemp Industrial Park in the Southern Tier of New York State, after receiving a state license to produce and process hemp. At that time, the company said that it had committed to invest $100M to $150M into a hemp operation that would lead to significant job creation and positive local economic impacts, as well as the produce CBD products for Canopy.
The vision proposed by AgriNextUSA and supported by Canopy Growth would involve creating Hemp Industrial Parks such as the one planned in New York State, where this super crop could be fast-tracked through a production cycle that would result in commercial applications for all parts of the plant, from root to tip. Camopy said in its statement that American farmers will benefit from a model that provides a single, regional destination for their hemp crops and connects them with the researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators whose ideas will turn their crops into new products and industries.
“Hemp has the potential to become a multibillion-dollar industry that will boost the American economy for generations to come,” said Geoff Whaling, CEO of AgriNextUSA, Chairman of the National Hemp Association and newly appointed Strategic Advisor, Hemp and CBD, Canopy Growth USA. “By working with Canopy Growth, we will turn our vision into a reality, one that helps American farmers, small and medium-sized business owners, and the next cohort of innovators who see the extraordinary potential that hemp has to offer.”
Some industry insiders believe that hemp will be an even bigger market than adult use or medical marijuana. They believe hemp has the potential to disrupt several prominent industries like advanced materials, cosmetics, energy, fiber and textiles, food and protein production and the health and wellness sectors. Hemp is also a natural source of CBD, the non-intoxicating component of cannabis that can be used for health and wellness purposes in jurisdictions where legally permitted.
