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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 30 OctOber 2019

U.S. finalizing rule to allow farmers to legally grow hemp

By DAVID PITT bottleneck in the process
Associated Press if there aren't enough labs
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) available.
— U.S. agriculture officials Iowa, for example, current-
said Tuesday a rule that al- ly has just one state labora-
lows farmers to legally grow tory that will do the testing.
hemp will be finalized this USDA officials say nation-
week, a move that many ally there are as many as
states have awaited for 250 labs and the agency
months so they can begin may allow private labs to
widespread hemp produc- become certified for hemp
tion. testing.
The rule is set to be pub- Sampling must be conduct-
lished Thursday and ef- ed within 15 days of harvest
fective immediately. It by a sampling firm or law
establishes requirements enforcement agent, the
for licensing, maintaining rule says. The concentra-
records on the land where tion of THC must be below
hemp will be grown, testing 0.3%. Plants measuring too
the levels of THC — the ac- high must be destroyed.
tive ingredient in marijuana At least 47 states have
that causes a high — and passed laws to establish
disposing plants that don't In this Oct. 10, 2019 file photo, workers at MERJ farms unload hemp plants during the first harvest hemp production pro-
meet the requirements. at the Sullivan County farm, in Bristol, Tenn. grams, according to the
In addition, a national Associated Press National Conference of
hemp-growing program State Legislatures. Excep-
that Congress authorized out that will ease some of products. ture for processing and tions include South Dakota,
in the 2018 farm bill will be the manual labor, he said, Some farmers may not find manufacturing to evolve Idaho and Mississippi.
launched by the rule. but it's not as easy as grow- it profitable to grow for the for it to become a long- The rule published Thursday
Hemp and marijuana are ing row crops like corn and CBD market. For example, term viable crop." is an interim rule. The USDA
both cannabis plants but soybeans. farmers in Iowa where Her advice for hemp farm- can change it if necessary
have different levels of Connor, who runs Paw Paw CBD extraction is not legal ers it to have a signed con- to make the program run
THC. Industrial hemp can Hemp Co. with a partner, would have to ship their tract from a buyer before efficiently. The interim rule
be used in food, fiber, pa- grows for CBD products, a plants elsewhere for CBD oil they begin production. ends in two years, at which
per, beauty products and market that has expand- extraction. Some states have grown time the USDA will release a
other products, and the ed exponentially in recent Those who hope to grow hemp on a smaller scale final rule.
industry estimates it could years. CBD, a compound for the industrial hemp mar- under the 2014 farm bill pi- "We will use the 2020 grow-
grow nationally to be a $1.9 found in the hemp plant, is ket for products that could lot program. The 2018 law ing season as a chance to
billion market by 2022. used in a wide assortment replace plastic or for fiber removed industrial hemp test drive the interim rule to
Jumping into hemp grow- of foods and as pain re- may find scarce buyers. from the list of illegal drugs guide any adjustments that
ing may not be a simple lievers, as well as for other "I am only aware of three and required the USDA to are made in the final rule,"
task for traditional farmers. medical conditions. active fiber plants, two in set up a national hemp said Greg Ibach, the USDA
Minnesota hemp farmer Extracting it is legal in some Kentucky and one in North growing program. undersecretary for farm
David Connor said growing states but not others. And Carolina," said Robin Pruis- The rule establishes testing production and conserva-
26 acres of hemp this year in April, the Food and Drug ner, a state entomologist of plants that must be done tion.
was labor intensive with Administration issued warn- who's focused on hemp in a Drug Enforcement Ad- U.S. Agriculture Secretary
planting, harvesting and ing letters to companies production for the Iowa ministration-registered lab- Sonny Perdue said farm-
drying all done by hand. for making unapproved Department of Agriculture. oratory, raising initial con- ers should speak up if they
New equipment is coming health claims about CBD "We need that infrastruc- cerns that could create a have suggestions.q