www.kingofhempusa.com  is now  www.hempinc.com

Free Shipping on orders over $99

Hemp, Inc. Announces Agreement with One Step Vending, Corp. for Development of Hemp Oil-Based Consumer Products

SPRING HOPE, NC–(Marketwired – Sep 21, 2017) – Hemp, Inc. ( OTC PINK : HEMP ) is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement, formalizing a venture with One Step Vending, Corp. ( OTC PINK : KOSK ), a holding company focused on the acquisition of market-changing and disruptive business models, with an emphasis on the self-serve vending market. Per the agreement, Hemp, Inc. will create unique hemp oil-based consumer products specifically for sale through One Step Vending, Corp.’s approved, existing micro markets, or kiosks around the country. Hemp, Inc., a global leader in the industrial hemp industry with the largest hemp processing facility and mill in the western hemisphere, will also provide general industry specific business guidance at the public level to One Step Vending, Corp.

“One Step Vending, Corp. is bringing real business solutions to the vending industry with its micro-markets that are displacing traditional vending machines. We are excited to create unique hemp oil-based products specifically for One Step Vending, Corp. and providing our expertise in producing and manufacturing both industrial and consumer hemp oil-based products,” said Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. “Ultimately, this partnership will lead to increased consumer access of hemp oil-based products via self-serve kiosks in corporate offices around the country. This is a very unique distribution channel that will contribute to the exploding CBD market which is expected to hit $2.1 billion in consumer sales by 2020. By Hemp, Inc. being entrenched in the industrial hemp sector, with the largest operational multipurpose industrial hemp processing facility in the western hemisphere, we have the ability to accommodate consumer demand as the CBD market explodes. Thus, there are huge economic opportunities for One Step Vending, Corp. and Hemp, Inc.”

Hemp, Inc. and One Step Vending, Corp. are currently collaborating on project plans, including product design, costs, timeline and legalities.

“Cannabinoid (CBD) is a natural constituent of the hemp plant and has been shown to have positive health benefits, without causing negative psychoactive effects. We believe this partnership with Hemp, Inc. will enable us to create a powerhouse on the distribution side of CBD products and allow us to meet the high demand for hemp oil-based products. Hemp, Inc. is a pioneer in the hemp industry so we have no doubt that we will be able to deliver on our goal of creating a distribution powerhouse by expanding our product mix,” said Daniel Garfinkel, CEO of One Step Vending, Corp.

According to a One Step Vending, Corp. rep, a kiosk will be on display at the upcoming Hemp University educational symposium on Saturday, September 30, 2017 from 8:30am – 5:00pm. The event will be held at the Peachtree Hills Country Club, 3512 Peachtree Hills Road, Spring Hope, NC 27882. The Hemp Oil Event (The Art & Science of CBD Oil) is the Hemp University’s 4th educational symposium. The almost sold out event will bring attendees up to speed on all business and scientific aspects of Industrial Hemp CBD cannabinoids by disseminating current, reliable information that continues to shape the revolutionary CBD market.

“Our strategic alliance with One Step Vending Corp. is just the beginning of a lot of great things to come,” concluded Perlowin.

HEMP, INC.’S NORTH CAROLINA INDUSTRIAL HEMP HUB
Hemp, Inc.’s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility, on over 9 acres in Spring Hope, North Carolina, is the only one of this magnitude in the western hemisphere. It is indeed bound to become the mecca of this new clean green agricultural and industrial American revolution. Based on a variety of factors, Perlowin believes North Carolina is strategically positioned to be the largest hemp producing state in America by 2018. However, Kentucky and West Virginia will join this industrial hemp hub along with Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. Most of these states were historically considered the hemp hub of America and will be again this time next year.

To see the video of America’s largest hemp processing facility and 60-foot silo installation, click here. To see the video of the largest hemp mill in the western hemisphere, click here.

ABOUT THE “HEMP GROWING, CBD PRODUCING VETERAN VILLAGE KINS COMMUNITIES”
Aligned with Hemp, Inc.’s Triple Bottom Line approach, CEO Bruce Perlowin is exploring the possibilities of developing “Hemp Growing, CBD Producing Veteran Village Kins Communities” in North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky and several other states similar to the 500-acre demonstration community being built in Arizona. He currently has 4,500 acres (and counting) of land north of Kingman, Arizona where he’s building a Veteran Village on 500 of those acres that would consist of 160 lots of 2 1/2 acre parcels for Kins Domains (eco-villages). Each parcel would grow 1 acre of hemp as well as having organic gardens, natural beehives, a pond, a living fence and other elements that make up a Kins Domain.

An additional 100 acres of hemp will be grown in each one of these 500-acre communities which will also include a 100,000 square-foot hemp (CBD) processing facility and a 10 acre holistic and learning center designed to treat and retrain veterans. The revenue from fifty of those acres is used to support that community. The revenue from the other fifty acres of hemp will be used to purchase 2 additional 500-acre parcels of land, thus keeping up with the needs of a large number of veterans that exist now and in the future. The eco-friendly “Veteran Village Kins Communities” were inspired by the book series, The Ringing Cedars of Russia (https://www.ringingcedars.com).

Perlowin has since found a way to incorporate it into Hemp, Inc.’s strategy of building hemp growing, CBD-producing “communities” or “villages.” The first part of these “Veteran Village Kins Communities” is a “holistic healing and learning center” whose function in each community is to treat, train and re-train our veterans. The prototype Veteran Village Kins Community in Arizona is expected to be completed by late 2017.

Perlowin has been personally creating the Arizona “Veteran Village Kins Community” since 2013 as a solution to America’s multifaceted veteran problem. To date, forty-four percent of America’s homeless are veterans. Twelve percent of that group are combat woman veterans with children. Twenty-two veterans commit suicide EVERY DAY. Two million veterans are on food stamps. As for the future, 238,000 veterans are leaving the armed services every year, according to Dannion Brinkley, Chairman of the Twilight Brigade.

From rehabilitation to job creation, Perlowin says this model presents a comprehensive holistic solution to those individuals that all Americans owe a great debt of gratitude toward the American veterans. Perlowin expects this model to produce very lucrative revenue for Hemp, Inc., the veterans themselves and the local communities these Kins Communities are built near. “The infrastructure for ‘The Hemp Growing, CBD-Producing, Veteran-Village Kins Community,’ which takes time to build, is already in place in Arizona. I’ve been building this infrastructure since 2013 and it can be duplicated for any state,” says Perlowin.

To see a series of videos on what a Kins Domain is, visit http://www.kinsdomain.us/. To see the Hemp, Inc. mill in operation and processing product, visit Bruce Perlowin’s personal Facebook page and scroll down to August 1, 2017.

UPCOMING HEMP EVENTS
1) Industrial Hemp Apprentice Program — September 4 through October 29, 2017 — North Carolina
2) HempX Asheville September 22-23, 2017 — North Carolina
3) Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference — September 24 – 27, 2017 — California
4) The Hemp University — September 30, 2017 — North Carolina
5) Hempfest — September 30, 2017 — Arizona
6) Puerto Rico MedCann Biz — October 5-6, 2017 — Puerto Rico
7) Marijuana Business Conference and Expo — November 14 – 17, 2017 — Nevada
8) HHI Expo & Symposium 2017 MCEC Melbourne — December 2-3, 2017 – Australia

UPCOMING HEMP EVENTS (in detail)
1) Industrial Hemp Apprentice Program — One week programs from September 4 – October 29, 2017) Hempleton Investment Group, Inc., East Coast Genetics, LLC, The Hemp Farmacy, and NC Hemp will offer a one week apprentice program with hands on experience in all areas of the hemp industry. You will be spending time in each location and in each position through shadowing and actively participating with the leaders in the NC Hemp Industry. Agricultural Conversion model farm tours, getting your hands dirty, will allow you to curb the entry barriers to this industry. For the selected applicants, this opportunity presents a real look into the East Coast Cannabis industry. Dine with the managing partners and the CEO Justin Hamilton of Hempleton Investment Group. Program includes 7 days and 6 nights of lodging and 10-12 hour days, 4 Nights at the NC Hemp Farm Campus and 2 Nights in downtown Wilmington NC.

2) HempX Asheville (September 22-23, 2017 in North Carolina) Since 2015, HempX Asheville has been bringing together farmers, artists, crafters, and entrepreneurs to explore the diverse opportunities in industrial hemp. Staged the last two years at Highland Brewing Company, this year the festival has a new home at Franny’s Farm in Leceister, NC and will be held September 22-23rd. HempX Asheville focuses in on “hands on” workshops and experiences so each attendee will be introduced to the multiple applications and uses of industrial hemp. Franny & Jeff Tacy, owners of Franny’s Farm, will be harvesting their two acres of hemp for fiber around festival time. So a walk to the hemp field, time on the hemp brake, pounding the pulp for paper, and using hemp yarns for weaving and blending, can bring the story of “from seed to plant to processing to product” to life. With the best vendors, self-guided eco tours, on-site camping, and live music to complement, there is no other hemp-centric experience like HempX Asheville in the South.

3) Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference (September 24 – 27, 2017 in Anaheim, California) The conference objective is to prove the benefits of the dietary lifestyle through a review of current and progressive scientific research evidencing the preventive and disease fighting capabilities of whole food, plant-based nutrition. Geared toward medical doctors from a variety of specialty areas, as well as allied healthcare professionals, the information on plant-based nutrition will be presented with a commitment to intellectual integrity, without bias or influence.

4) The Hemp University (September 30, 2017 — North Carolina) This upcoming event will be held at Peachtree Hills Country Club, 3512 Peachtree Hills Road, Spring Hope, NC 27882. After lunch, attendees will move over to the Plant for the Live demonstration of the Industrial Supercritical CO2 Extraction system using North Carolina-grown CBD industrial hemp. This event is all about The Art and Science of CBD Oil. Presenters will discuss such topics as: how and why it works in your body; how it is extracted & processed; and, how to sell your oil and who to sell it to. Additional, farmers will be taught how to grow high CBD rich hemp, where to acquire clones and seeds to start growing in their greenhouses and grow rooms immediately as well as planting in their fields in April of 2018. The cost for this event will be $149 per attendee and $75 per guest for the early bird special. (One guest ticket per $149 ticket). This event earns 6 credits toward The Hemp University’s official accreditation and certification program. For more information, contact Rick Rainbolt at 704-965-8935

5) Red Rock Hempfest (September 30, 2017 — Arizona) The Red Rock Hempfest™ will feature talks and presentations from top industry leaders and will also have exhibitors showcasing industry-related products and services, including licensed Producers, Dispensaries, Nutrient companies, Hydroponics Manufacturers, Medical Clinics, Health and Wellness providers, live music, food, and more. The Red Rock Hempfest™ will take place at The Collective Sedona off AZ-179 in Sedona, AZ on September 30, 2017.

6) Puerto Rico MedCann Biz (October 5-6, 2017 in Puerto Rico) Puerto Rico MedCann Biz is the interdisciplinary forum that gathers members, stakeholders, key policy players and patients of the medical cannabis industry in Puerto Rico. Designed to enable the future of the industry, this year the event will build upon the groundwork already made to promote medical research and education, professional development and innovation. Conference participants will gain valuable knowledge in the research and scientific progress surrounding medical cannabis worldwide. The conference will also address global and regional industry trends and provide up to date information related to regulatory framework, technology, agricultural and manufacturing practices, dispensaries and dosage processes, among others.

7) Marijuana Business Conference and Expo (November 14 – 17, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV) The Marijuana Business Conference and Expo is the largest gathering business community of mid-to-large wholesale growers, dispensaries and recreational retailers, infused product makers, ancillary companies ranging from grow technology to legal services, and, angels and VCs investing in privately-held firms. The conference highlights the latest advances and networking opportunities in the cannabis industry. MJBizCon, as it is referred to, has continued to set industry-wide attendance records and is by far the world’s largest gathering of executives and exhibitors each and every season. The show continues to be curated by the editors of MJBizDaily, the industry’s most trusted professional news service. The upcoming expo expects 3,500-4,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than a dozen nations including a large Canadian contingent.

8) HHI Expo & Symposium 2017 MCEC Melbourne (December 2-3, 2017 in Australia) The Hemp, Health & Innovation Expo Melbourne 2017 is taking place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, next to the Yarra River in South Wharf. Held over 2 days (December 2nd and 3rd 2017), this event will have something for everyone. Attendees will be able to look, feel, taste, and experience the excitement of a large number of exhibitors, showcasing everything from Hemp fibers, clothing, bedding, beauty and health products, medicinal hemp products, building materials, hydroponic equipment to supplies for industry and home hobbyists alike, innovative products and so much more. You’ll also learn how to grow your own produce, even where space is limited, fresh and free of chemicals. Discover new and innovative products. For more information, visit http://www.hhiexpo.com.au/about.html.

To list your hemp event here, email events@hempinc.com.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA INDUSTRIAL HEMP ASSOCIATION
The almost 1,000-member North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association (NCIHA) is a 501(c)(6) trade organization that represents all the stakeholders helping to build a thriving hemp industry in North Carolina. The NCIHA is responsible for the lobbying effort behind the passage of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. Through education, dedication and fundraising, North Carolina can be accelerated to the forefront of global growth in Industrial and Medicinal Hemp. North Carolina can and should lead the country in cultivation, processing and support the consumption of hemp’s many beneficial products. Hemp was, for almost 200 years, a legal and fundamental crop in North Carolina and should be again.

Visit www.ncindhemp.org for more information. To join the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association, click here.

IN THE NEWS: HEMP ON TRACK FOR LEGALIZATION
North Carolina: Editorial, “Here’s Another way North Carolina is out-hustling Virginia” talks about North Carolina’s top hemp advocate on “how this (industrial hemp) genetic offshoot of marijuana is such a versatile crop that farmers can make money three ways off the same plant — the seeds can be used for food, the pods for nutritional supplements, the stalks used for fiber.” “It’s a no-brainer thing for farmers,” Bob Crumley says.” He talks about how growing hemp was once considered a patriotic act. In colonial times, farmers were required to plant a certain number of acres of hemp — or pay higher taxes. The first drafts of the Declaration of Independence were written on hemp paper. Betsy Ross’s flag was made out of hemp. Hemp was the “America First” economic policy of its day, because the fibrous plant enabled the colonies to be self-reliant in everything from canvas for ships’ sails to uniforms. Read the full editorial here.
Utah: A Utah agricultural board has given preliminary approval to a change in government rules that would allow farmers in the state to cultivate industrial hemp for research purposes. Farmers would be allowed to grow hemp that contains less than 0.03% THC under the Utah Department of Food and Agriculture’s proposed rule. State research institutions such as Utah State University are already allowed to cultivate industrial hemp for research purposes as part of the 2014 federal Farm Bill, but the new rule would expand who’s allowed to grow the plant, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Read the full article here.

Nevada: Gov. Sandoval signed Senate Bill 375 and Senate Bill 396 recently, allowing Nevada’s Native American tribal government to directly negotiate with the state over the use and sale of medicinal cannabis on tribal lands, and expanding the state’s hemp cultivation program. According to the article, Gov. Sandoval also gave the proverbial green light by signing off on Senate Bill 396. The recently passed legislation creates an additional hemp program for Nevada’s farmers. Per the bill, S.B. 396 establishes rules and regulations authorizing the growth and handling of industrial hemp for the production of cannabinoid-infused products.

Colorado: Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed off on Senate Bill 17-117, entitled “Recognize Industrial Hemp Agricultural Product for Agricultural Water Right,” on May 21, 2017. This bill protects hemp farmers who use water stored in federal reservoirs. The bill was introduced in the state Legislature by Sen. Don Coram, and sponsored by Rep. Marc Catlin. Both are Montrose Republicans. Colorado legalized growing hemp in 2014, but it is still banned at the federal level, creating complications when water from a federal project is used to water it. Senate Bill 17-117 says Colorado water right holders have the right to use it on hemp if the person is registered by the state to grow hemp for commercial, or research purposes. During an interview with The Journal, Hickenlooper said the hemp water bill will give farmers some reassurance, and he was cautiously optimistic that it could become a good cash crop for the state.

“Concerning confirmation that industrial hemp is a recognized agricultural product for which a person with a water right decreed for agricultural use may use the water subject to the water right for industrial hemp cultivation. In Colorado, water subject to a water right may be used for the purpose for which the water is decreed. The bill confirms that a person with an absolute or conditional water right decreed for agricultural use may use the water subject to the water right for the growth or cultivation of industrial hemp if the person is registered by the department of agriculture to grow industrial hemp for commercial or research and development purposes.”

For more detailed information on SB 17-117, visit www.leg.colorado.gov, by clicking here.

North Dakota: Chris Zenker, one of 35 farmers and growers who received a special license from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture to grow industrial hemp for 2017, drove from Gackle to a farm just north of Carrington, North Dakota last week to pick up enough industrial hemp seed to plant 100 acres. According to Zenker, he is trying hemp as a way to introduce a different crop in the rotation and likes that it has the potential to be a cash crop. The seed from Gussiaas’ farm received the largest of four shipments of industrial hemp seed, 64,000 pounds, that the North Dakota Department of Agriculture had shipped from Canada for distribution to farmers and growers approved to grow hemp in 2017. The state will receive a total of 84,250 pounds of industrial hemp seed this year with seed distributed in 50-pound bags. (visit full article on www.agweek.com)

Illinois: The Illinois Senate unanimously approved a measure, SB 1294, that would allow farmers to grow and sell industrial hemp, a strain of cannabis. But unlike marijuana, industrial hemp contains less than one percent of THC, and its fiber can be used to manufacture a variety of products. Pollitt says he estimates Illinois stands to gain an economic industry, including processing and transportation, that could outpace the state’s pumpkin crop. Hemp advocates point to neighboring Kentucky, where more than 135 farms and 40 processors have enrolled in the state’s pilot program that launched in 2016.

The Industrial Hemp Senate Bill 1294 was passed to the House on May 5, 2017. On May 31, 2017, final action for the House was extended to June 30, 2017. As of 7/6/2017, this Bill was re-referred to the Rules Committee.

West Virginia: In West Virginia, Governor Jim Justice signed House Bill 2453 which allows hemp to be grown for research purposes, to also allow hemp to be grown commercially. The proposal was passed by both the House and Senate unanimously. HB 2453 states that a person growing industrial hemp for commercial purposes shall apply to the commissioner for license on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The application for a license must include the name and address of the applicant and the legal description of the land area to be used for the production of industrial hemp.

Whether it’s Alaska or Florida, North Carolina or Nevada, Hemp, Inc. is on the ground more often than not conducting business in those states. In Arizona, for example, Hemp, Inc. plans to grow up to 300 acres on a 500-acre Veteran Village Kins Community as soon as Arizona legalizes hemp, which we expect in early 2018. “Hemp, Inc. does not wait for the inevitable legalization of industrial hemp in a state prior to building our industrial hemp infrastructure there. Instead of waiting for it to be legalized, being proactive gives us a significant advantage in the industrial hemp industry,” says Perlowin.

Florida: In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott signed the Industrial Hemp Pilot Projects bill into law. The bill would give FAMU Florida A&M University and UF University of Florida the green light to develop pilot projects to cultivate, process, test, research, create and market safe commercial applications for industrial hemp. According to the article, “the universities would work with private partnerships to conduct and pay for the research. All research would be registered with Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Approval for the program is needed by the universities’ board of trustees.” If approved by trustees, the universities are required to submit a report to the governor and the Legislature within two years after the pilot project’s creation.

In August, 2017, Perlowin plans to buy land in Florida to build a Veteran’s Village Kins Community in that state.

WHAT IS HEMP?
Hemp is a durable natural fiber that is grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products. It’s one of the oldest domesticated crops known to man. Hemp is used in nutritional food products such as hemp seeds, hemp hearts and hemp proteins, for humans. It is also used in building materials, paper, textiles, cordage, organic body care and other nutraceuticals, just to name a few. It has thousands of other known uses. A hemp crop requires half the water alfalfa uses and can be grown without the heavy use of pesticides. Farmers worldwide grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products. The United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop on a large scale, according to the Congressional Resource Service. However, with rapidly changing laws and more states gravitating towards industrial hemp and passing an industrial hemp bill, that could change. Currently, the majority of hemp sold in the United States is imported from China and Canada, the world’s largest exporters of the industrial hemp crop.

To see Hemp, Inc.’s video just posted entitled, “The Largest Hemp Mill in the Western Hemisphere is Now Online — It’s Alive,” click here. To see the Hemp, Inc. mill in operation and processing product, visit Bruce Perlowin’s personal Facebook page.

9 GREAT REASONS TO INCLUDE HEMP AS PART OF A HEALTHY DIET (Source)

HOW HEMP CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
Fuel — While the industrial, medicinal and commercial properties of hemp have been known to mankind for a very long time, its benefits to the environment have just been realized in recent years. One of the compelling things hemp offers is fuel. Reserves of petroleum are being depleted. Right now we are depleting our reserves of petroleum and buying it up from other countries. It would be nice if we could have a fuel source which was reusable and which we could grow right here, making us completely energy independent.

Industries in search of sustainable and eco-friendly processes are realizing hemp as a viable option. Hemp can provide an alternative, more efficient source of energy in the fuel industry. “The woody hemp plant is low in moisture; it dries quickly and is an efficient biomass source of methanol. The waste products produced by using hemp oil are a good source of ethanol. Both methanol and ethanol are produced from hemp through the efficient and economical process of thermo-chemical conversion. One acre of hemp yields 1,000 gallons or 3,785 liters of fuel. Hemp allows a lesser reliance on fossil fuels, which are non-renewable sources of energy and will not be able to meet the increasing global demands for long.”

Petroleum fuel increases carbon monoxide in the atmosphere and contributes heavily to global warming and the greenhouse effect, which could lead to global catastrophe in the next 50 years if these trends continue. Do you want to find out if they are right, or do you want to grow the most cost effective and environmentally safe fuel source on the planet? Using hemp as an energy and rotation crop would be a great step in the right direction.

SUBSCRIBE TO HEMP, INC.’S VIDEO UPDATES
Hemp, Inc. Presents” is capturing the historic, monumental re-creation of the hemp decorticator today as America begins to evolve into a cleaner, green, eco-friendly sustainable environment. What many see as the next American Industrial Revolution is actually the Industrial Hemp Revolution. Watch as Hemp, Inc., the #1 leader in the industrial hemp industry, engages its shareholders and the public through each step in bringing back the hemp decorticator as described in the “Freedom Leaf Magazine” article “The Return of the Hemp Decorticator” by Steve Bloom.

“Hemp, Inc. Presents” is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by visiting hempinc.com. To subscribe to the “Hemp, Inc. Presents” YouTube channel, be sure to click the subscribe button.

HEMP, INC.’S “TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE”
With a deep-rooted social and environmental mission at its core, Hemp, Inc. seeks to build a business constituency for the American small farmer, the American veteran, and other groups experiencing the ever-increasing disparity between tapering income and soaring expenses. As a leader in the industrial hemp industry with ownership of the largest commercial multi-purpose industrial hemp processing facility in North America, Hemp, Inc. believes there can be tangible benefits reaped from adhering to a corporate social responsibility plan. Thus, Hemp, Inc.’s “Triple Bottom Line” approach serves as an important tool in balancing meeting business objectives and the needs of society and environment at the same time.

SOCIAL NETWORKS:
https://www.twitter.com/hempinc (Twitter)
https://www.facebook.com/hempinc (Facebook)
http://investorshangout.com/Hemp-Inc-HEMP-87248/ (Investors Hangout)

SAFE HARBOR ACT
Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as “anticipate,” “if,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.