International Hemp, a Denver based hemp seed distributor, supplies farms across America with hemp seeds from varieties tailored specifically for hemp fiber and grain production which are all certified by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA). They distribute these specialized seeds to farmers all over the country who plant these varieties with the end goal of getting the hemp into market for grain and fiber production.
The hemp grain and fiber industries are still nascent and International Hemp is on the forefront of delivering high-quality hemp seeds to the market.
The Struggles Hemp Businesses Face in Finding Merchant Services
Prior to partnering with West Town Payments, International Hemp had repeatedly tried to open a merchant account which would allow them to collect credit card payments from their customers. Their previous bank never allowed them to open this account, so International Hemp resorted to taking checks for some of their customers’ smaller purchases.
“With our business model, most of our business is conducted through ACH or wires, but there are times our farmers would want to make smaller purchases with a credit card”, Rachel Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of International Hemp, says, “Since we did not have this option available to us, we used to have our customers mail us checks for these types of transactions. Sometimes we’d have to wait for weeks for the check to arrive and at that point we’d even lose track of which checks had arrived and which ones we were still waiting for.”
This delay in the transaction was causing International Hemp’s business to slow. Once the company partnered with West Town Payments, they were able to easily get a merchant account through West Town Payments’ payment processing service. This gave them the ability to seamlessly accept credit card transactions from their customers that prefer that option, resulting in operational efficiencies, happier customers and overall business growth.
The Future for International Hemp
International Hemp has lofty goals for their business and the overall hemp industry. They hope to expand the uses of hemp, particularly in the grain and fiber space. With a greater need for these type of hemp products, International Hemp will be able to position themselves as the leader in providing high-quality grain and fiber hemp varieties to farmers across the nation.
To accomplish this goal, Rachel Johnson stressed the need to bring legitimacy to the hemp industry. Something that is impossible without financial partners who are dedicated to the space. West Town Payments is proud to provide payment processing services tailored to the industry, helping fuel growth for not only these businesses, but also the overall hemp industry.
