By Jean Lotus

The president and vice president of a trade association for US hemp builders announced they were resigning, and three elected new board members announced they were declining to serve in a message to members.

In a message entitled “Official Board Update” sent to some members March 24, US Hemp Building Association President Ashley Stallworth and Vice President Amanda Martin-Behrendtsen announced they were stepping down “effective immediately.”

Additionally, three other newly elected board members Laura Franklin, (secretary-elect), Samantha Marino and Heather Sage (directors at large-elect) announced in the same email that they were declining to serve on the board.

(Full disclosure: The author is a former board member of the USHBA).

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Americhanvre

South Bend Industrial Hemp

Hillside Center for Sustainable Living

Sativa Building Systems

Silacote Mineral Paints

Earthaus Plaster

HempWood

Evolve Construction

Marino, Sage and Franklin, candidates who declined to serve, said in their statement that the board squabbling was interfering with their ability to contribute to the hemp building industry.

“We encountered an environment marked by ongoing conflict, lack of cohesion, and conditions that do not support effective governance or productive collaboration,” they wrote. “We fear that under these circumstances, we will not be able to responsibly step into the leadership roles we had hoped for, let alone confidently deliver the outcomes we intended.

They added, “We appreciate the support of those who voted for us and hope the organization is able to resolve its internal challenges in a way that allows it to function with stability and purpose.”

In their resignation letter, Stallworth and Martin-Behrendtsen used strong language, accusing other board members of “lying, scapegoating, and stirring up conflict.”

Homeland Hempcrete

Verdant Structural Engineers

Right Coast Hemp

Kanda Hemp Seeds

The message to members also said Shawn Ledig, the only recently elected board member not to decline to serve, was to take over leadership of the association as interim president.

But remaining board members pushed back on the announcement.

“No formal board vote has taken place to confirm and the transition between the old and new board still hasn’t taken place,” Alex Escher, a remaining board member at-large said in an email. “Ashley and Amanda resigning from the board does not mean they get to unilaterally appoint a successor in a public email.”

Ledig declined to comment.

Healthy Hemp Homes

Riverdale Hemp Gin

Victura Hemp

Prairie Band Ag

Election turmoil

The organization’s most recent board election in February caused controversy when two at-large members accused the executive board of election irregularities. Top vote-getters in three of the four elected roles were retroactively stripped from the ballot after the polls had closed because their membership dues were reportedly unpaid.

Additionally, the association reported a membership drop in the past year of more than 45% to 77 total members. In the election, described as “low turnout” only 37 members cast a vote.

Aaron Grail Construction

IND HEMP

HempBLOCK USA

Next Genesis Design

Boardwurks Biocomposites

Renewabuild

East Coast Hemp Supply

Hempitecture

Remaining Board Members to Meet Sunday

Escher and member-at-large Tom Rossmassler confirmed that remaining board members would be meeting again on Sunday, March 29 and would be inviting the declining board member-elects to reconsider.

This story is ongoing and will be updated.