Blain is one of the founding members of iHemp Michigan. Blain was a County Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency for 27 years, administering Government Farm Programs to farmers. After retiring in 2011 from USDA, he formed Down On The Farm, a consulting service to assist farmers through the maze of government paperwork with the goal of receiving program benefits. Blain helps farmers and the hemp industry meet compliance with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) & Good Agriculture Collection Practices with handbooks and third-party audits required by buyers and current industry regulations.

Blain manufactures FDA-approved hemp feed for laying hens, Hemp Seed Oil, Hemp Protein Flour, Hemp Protein Cake and Hemp Hearts and is a supplier of hemp bedding. He also is a seed dealer for fiber and grain genetics and offers a decortication service, including CBD stalks.

Down On The Farm

Late in 2018, John Freeman approached Dave to help organize an education event. Dave has been hooked on the hemp community since the first iHemp Michigan event on January 26, 2019. He brought his graphic design, website development, and technical skills to begin what became a rapid series of events through 2019 and the execution of the Midwest’s first Industrial Hemp Expo – 2020 Midwest iHemp Expo, January 10-11, 2020.

Since the legalization of industrial hemp in 2019, Dave has gained experience in every aspect of growing, processing, and formulation of products using hemp, including both CBD products as well as Frisbees. Dave owns a marketing agency, Advantage Intelligent Marketing, and is active both playing and organizing ice hockey under the Gears.Beer brand.

Advantage Intelligent Marketing

Becky spent 44 years in the legal field as a legal assistant / paralegal, retiring in 2020. Currently, she spends time assisting her husband, Blain Becktold, with his consulting business Down On The Farm, and assists iHemp Michigan with membership as well as serving as its Board Secretary and Treasurer.

Becky enjoys reading, spending time with their 7 grandchildren, and keeping the family organized.

Robbin Pott, JD, MPP, is a co-founder and majority managing member of Pott Farms, L3C, an innovative educational regenerative hemp farm in Willis, MI. With extensive expertise in regenerative cannabis agriculture, Robbin provides living soil services, including consulting and education, helping growers transition to sustainable practices. Her work integrates social equity by offering supportive job training to young adults facing poverty and trauma, in collaboration with social service agencies.

Robbin holds degrees in Law and Public Policy from the University of Michigan, as well as certifications as a living soil consultant. Her professional background spans legal advocacy, policy development, research, and social service collaboration, reflecting her dedication to empowering communities and youth through teaching regenerative agriculture and advocating for systemic change to create an equitable and restorative cannabis industry.
Pott Farms

A life-long farmer with 35 years of teaching experience, Dennis added a hemp crop to his cherry operation in 2019. This began Lakeland Hemp LLC which offers a one stop online experience for all things CBD.

With the addition of a hemp genetics operation, Lakeland Hemp presently carries over 20 unique high quality CBD strains as well as isolate, kief, rosins, lotions, salves, tinctures and clones. Dennis’ goal is to educate fellow farmers and the public on the benefits of hemp products in their lives and for our planet.

Lakeland Hemp

Blake Klumpp is a prominent figure in the hemp and CBD industry, boasting a comprehensive involvement across its various facets. With a rich background spanning cultivation, drying, processing, and finished product manufacturing, Blake has been an integral part of the industry since 2018, serving as the COO of Ag Marvels.

Under his leadership, Ag Marvels has expanded its reach globally, conducting business operations across the world in hemp and CBD. Blake is also deeply committed to fostering growth in his home state of Michigan. He envisions a future where Michigan thrives as a hub for hemp and CBD, leveraging its potential for innovation and production. Through his leadership and dedication, Blake aims to continue shaping the industry, ensuring both global expansion and the flourishing of Michigan’s market.

Ag Marvels

My name is Rod Glupker, owner of CBD Store of Michigan and Blue Lake CBD. I have been in the hemp industry since 2018. CBD Store of Michigan sells hemp clothing, bags, hats, towels, jewelry, as well as advocates for hemp building materials, fuels, foods and medicine. We carry over 60 brands of CBD with over 200 different products. We also started Blue Lake CBD and now have 35 SKUs. Blue Lake CBD has continued to grow year over year.

I am committed to staying active in the community.

CBD Store of Michigan

Michael Thue is a Certified Medical Assistant and Member of the American Association of Medical Assistants. Michael is the Founder & CEO of Great Lakes Hemp Supplements, LLC and the Center for Compassion, LLC. Michael has over 20 years of experience with using cannabis as medicine in a vast variety of alternative forms including GI Tube, Suppositories, Vaporization, Topical use and other forms of administration. Michael is the Leading “Midwest CBD Authority”, and has had the honor of educating in the vast areas of medical cannabis, the Endo-Cannabinoid System, Hemp & CBD at several conferences across the country over the past decade.

In 2019 Michael was an educator at eight different expos around the Midwest and southern hemp states regarding the benefits of cultivating high CBD hemp strains. Michael’s Center For Compassion was voted Traverse City’s Best Alternative Medicine Practitioner for the past 6 consecutive years, 2019-2024.
Michael has completed his associate’s degree as a Medical Assistant at Baker University where he graduated in June of 2017. Michael is a member of the AAMA and the Oncology Nurses Society.

Other notable awards:
➢ Best CBD Edible Crystal Trichome Award at the 2016 Canna Quest Expo
➢ 2018 & 2019 Best CBD product at the Traverse City Cherry Cup
➢ 2020 & 2021 IHemp Hempy Awards Best CBD product 1st & 2nd place

Michael Founded the Great Lakes Patient Care Conference in 2016 in Traverse City as an annual event to educate local health care professionals with an accredited Continuing Education Course.

Michael continues to focus on educating others regarding the truths around Cannabis and its medicinal benefits and has been doing so for the past 25 yrs.

Great Lakes Hemp Supplements

John is a Marine with a vision. His committment and dedication to creating an industrial hemp industry for Michigan is second to none. A Vietnam War Veteran, John worked in a variety of capcities in the City of Flint, most involved in environmental issues. He is retired and enjoys travel.