Umpqua Bank Cut Off Hemp Clothing Manufacturer

Here’s part of the report in Northern Lights.com

It’s easy to find hemp yarn, seeds, clothing and other hemp products at Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer and other stores across the United States. Enter hemp in Amazon’s search field and you’ll get 20 pages of hemp products ranging from dog chews to “Hemp Oil-Cannabis Oil” to natural hemp cord to moisturizer.

That’s why Blaine-based natural clothing company Rawganique owners were so surprised when they were told that Umpqua Bank would no longer work with them because they’re in a “marijuana-related industry.”

The bank is closing Rawganique’s account by the end of the month because the company “operates a line that is an excluded line of business at Umpqua Bank,” the bank said in a letter to Rawganique received on October 13, Rawganique CEO Qeanu Wallner said. The bank’s decision gives the company little time to find a new bank, which is crucial to its operations.

Rawganique’s hemp products include clothing, hempseed oil, hempseed butter, hemp protein powder and rope.

Under federal law, the hemp plant, which shares a common ancestor with marijuana but is bred to maximize fiber production, is a schedule 1 drug. Hemp products, however, are legal.

“We are federally insured, so we are bound legally to comply with federal law,” said Eve Callahan, a spokesperson for Umpqua Bank. “We are prevented from banking with companies that grow cannabis. Hemp is the result of growing cannabis.”

Full Report http://www.thenorthernlight.com/2017/10/19/umpqua-bank-to-close-local-companys-account-for-confusion-over-hemp/

While we are on the subject of Umpqua. Quite possibly the best vanilla ice cream on the planet !

Primary Sponsor

 


Karma Koala Podcast

Top Marijuana Blog