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Balanced Reporting. Trusted Insights.
Thursday, January 21, 2021
USDA loosened regulatory requirements for hemp in a new rule issued Friday, giving producers more time to harvest their crops after testing for THC levels and not requiring they use laboratories registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration until the end of 2022.
There are expressions of optimism on both sides of Capitol Hill that lawmakers could reach a deal during the lame duck session on a government-wide spending bill for fiscal 2021.
The rush to plant hemp for CBD production as well as the legalization of marijuana in many states has created a conflict for those wanting to grow hemp for grain or fiber.
Sen. John Boozman, who is set to take over as the top Republican on the Senate Ag Committee, next year is optimistic that Congress will provide more aid to farmers for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The question is when a new aid package will pass, and that looks unlikely before the election.
Hemp industry stakeholders are pushing for regulatory certainty as one of the crop's chief byproducts gains in popularity and interest from a curious consumer base.
The hemp industry has sued the Drug Enforcement Administration, saying it exceeded its authority in a rule published last month that says “cannabis-derived material” cannot contain more than 0.3% of THC by dry weight.