Overview

McBrayer has worked to advance agricultural interests for decades and has been at the forefront of promoting hemp in Kentucky since our lawyers went to federal court in 2014 to help make hemp research happen in Kentucky and the United States.

•  In 2014, Luke Morgan and the McBrayer team represented the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in a lawsuit against the federal government. The result – a big win for Kentucky agriculture and the release of 250 lbs. of hemp seed to be planted as part of pilot projects in Kentucky. That seed led to 33 acres of planted hemp that year through 20 growers. In 2019, that number was 26,500 acres through 978 growers.
• Since the birth of the hemp industry, the McBrayer team acted as advisers to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture as hemp production gained momentum in the Commonwealth.

We have continued to consult with and represent growers, processors and other businesses in all aspects of the hemp industry, from challenging licensing to litigation to writing contracts between businesses engaged in fiber, CBD and other hemp products. This assistance includes advising on banking and finance issues, insurance, regulatory questions and commonsense observations gained through being involved in the hemp industry since its new beginning.

We know Kentucky agriculture. Our attorneys have worked with farms, farmers and other agricultural stakeholders going back to our formation in 1963. McBrayer attorneys include active farmers, with graduate degrees in agriculture, and who have researched and taught in the University of Kentucky’s agricultural college. We’ve helped tobacco farmers receive just payment after the end of federal price supports. We’ve negotiated the sales of livestock and crop farms, horse farms and ranches, and worked with key members of the agriculture and equine industries to ensure that they continue to thrive. We’re now here to help Kentucky farmers and processors discover the full potential of the exciting new frontier of agricultural development in hemp.