The federal Small Business Administration (SBA) is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make a series of changes to its proposed hemp rules that in their current form threaten to “stifle” the newly legal industry. The agency’s independent Office of Advocacy said that while it appreciates that USDA reopened a public comment […]
Less than two weeks after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened a public comment period on proposed hemp regulations, more than 500 people have already weighed in. USDA issued an interim final rule last month, laying out basic regulatory guidelines for hemp manufacturers. It contains information on a wide-range of issues, including licensing, THC […]
The White House approved plans to regulate hemp and its derivatives on Friday Oct. 25, signing off on interim final rules for the crop that were submitted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA has been working to develop hemp regulations since the crop was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill in December. […]
A federal financial agency released updated guidelines on banking in the hemp industry on Aug. 19, 2019, following up on requests from lawmakers to provide clarity on the issue. The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) said in its interim guidance that providing banking services to hemp businesses is allowable since the crop and its derivatives […]
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) confirmed in an expanded policy update in early June 2019 that hemp products are legal to mail under certain circumstances since the crop is no longer a federally controlled substance. In guidelines published in the agency’s Postal Bulletin, USPS said that it has “received numerous inquiries from commercial entities and […]
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) updated its policy on cannabis over the 2019 Memorial Day weekend, changing the medical marijuana section of its “What Can I Bring?” webpage from reading “no” to “yes” (with “special instructions”). Specifically, the agency is clarifying that hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products may now be carried on planes under certain circumstances. […]
A division of the Treasury Department clarified in April 2019 that cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp cannot be added to alcoholic beverages at this time. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) said in an industry circular released on April 25, 2019, that it had received “many inquiries from industry members” asking whether they […]
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said on April 18, 2019, that his role in getting industrial hemp legalized is at “the top of the list” of reasons Kentuckians should re-elect him in 2020. He also said that hemp could essentially replace tobacco, historically a big cash crop for the state that could take […]
Research-grade marijuana that’s supplied by the only federally authorized cultivation site in the United States is genetically closer to hemp than cannabis varieties sold at dispensaries in legal states, according to a new study. The revelation raises questions about how applicable the results of research using the government’s marijuana really are to understanding the effects […]
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is funding a research project looking into the sustainable production of hempcrete, a hemp-based mixture that’s better for the environment than traditional concrete. According to a notice published on the EPA website, the agency awarded a roughly $12,000 grant to a student-led research team at the University of California, Riverside, […]
