Meet Jerry Whiting | Hemp Farmer & Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jerry Whiting and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jerry, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I’m the co-founder & president of LeBlanc CNE, Inc., a small family business focused on hemp genetics & cultivation, product development, research and education.

I’m “Seattle’s Favorite Black Hemp Farmer”. I write a monthly hemp column that I use to educate and motivate people: www.LeBlancCNE.com/NWLeaf/ Fellow hemp activist Pam West and I are launching our second podcast, The Hemp Kite, where share what we call The Hemp Lifestyle.

As a farmer I grow without chemicals but beyond that employing regenerative agriculture. I compost on a large scale. Permaculture Steward Certification through the Beacon Food Forest [ https://beaconfoodforest.org/ ] Though not overly deliberate I find myself working with women and BIPOC partners more often than not.

No, hemp isn’t a synonym for CBD. Yes, LeBlanc CNE is known for our tincture and topical products, we’re also working with papermakers and more recently textile artists. My personal interest is hemp graphene and hemp supercapacitors (colloquially known as ‘hemp batteries’). My son is working with hemp biochar.

Hemp can help save the planet in so many ways. *That’s* what gets me out of bed each & every morning. Leaving the world in better shape for my children and grandchildren.

What should our readers know about your business?
LeBlanc CNE is 8+ years old. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. Our brand is well known and respected in the cannafamily. Not only are our products good our corporate culture supports pro bono work and volunteerism.

I speak frequently on hemp & medical marijuana, now online instead of face-to-face. I’m active with Seattle Hempfest and The Cannabis Alliance. I’m honored to have received awards from both Seattle Hempfest & The Cannabis Alliance.

Hemp and medical marijuana before that are absolutely chaotic and somewhat illogical markets. And this is from someone with 30+ years in the software industry. We navigated the waters carefully and continue to grow and thrive.

LeBlanc allows me to work & live in accordance with my political and spiritual goals.
a.) Healthcare is a right, not a privilege
b.) May all sentient beings be free from pain and suffering

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
New to the Pacific Northwest? Yeah, yeah. Pike Place Market watching them toss salmon. Yes, the view from atop the Space Needle is spectacular on a sunny day.

Coffee and beer? A given.

– Let’s head to Mt Rainier. I’ve spent 30+ years hiking & camping on Tahoma and love to share it with others.
– One of few cities graced with huge and diverse city parks. Virgin forest to pristine beaches.
– Hyroburbs. People live on islands just off shore connected via the country’s largest ferry system. Hint: Vashon Island is WA’s “Emerald Triangle”.
– Local farms –> multiple farmers’ markets
– And of course my fellow Cascadians. There’s a reason Trump hated us & called us out as Radical Left pinko socialist Antifa. Cuz we are! Second gay mayor in a row, several Democratic Socialist council members, etc.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
LeBlanc CNE is still inspired and guided by my son and fellow co-founder Coleman Whiting, [ http://leblanccne.com/Coleman-Whiting/ and https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?pid=180152662 ]

His life this incarnation was so short but as I continue to reassure his mother, he lived a complete life accomplishing everything he was destined to do.

Website: www.LeBlancCNE.com (and soon-to-be-launced www.TheHempKite.com)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leblanc_cne/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leblanccne

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JetCityOrange/

Image Credits
Bill Vingelen, photographer