Help Protect the Hemp and CBD Industries by Participating in the USDA and DEA Public Comment Processes
By Michelle Bodian
Sep 10, 2020
Two opportunities to submit public comments to protect the American hemp industry throughout all stages of the supply chain:
1. Second Chance to Speak up and Advocate to USDA on Its Domestic Hemp Production Program Interim Final Rule
Deadline: October 8, 2020
The USDA reopened for 30 days the period for public comment to the interim final rule that established the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program. The ability to produce hemp domestically is the crucial foundation for the entire hemp/CBD industry.
We encourage stakeholders, especially those who were subject to the regulatory requirements of the IFR during the 2020 production cycle, to submit your comments before the new deadline, October 8, 2020. Click here for details and to learn more about the particular topics USDA is most interested in hearing about.
Contact us for help crafting and submitting your comments.
2. Tell DEA to align their Interim Final Rule with the 2018 Farm Bill
Deadline: October 20, 2020
Hemp and CBD businesses are on high alert after the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued an interim final rule (IFR) in late August purportedly aligning DEA regulations with the 2018 Farm Bill. Read the IFR here.
Careful review of the IFR shows that the hemp and CBD industries may face potentially devastating consequences, particularly related to hemp processing. This is not the time to sit back; it’s time to speak up!
Now through October 20, 2020, you can advocate for change and encourage DEA to make meaningful revisions to the IFR by submitting your feedback and comments during the currently open public comment period.
Contact us to help your business contribute.
Looking ahead: Congressional Hemp legislation Introduced Last Week
The Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020 was introduced on September 4, 2020 by Congressmen Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR). The bill makes lawful hemp and CBD derived from hemp as ingredients in dietary supplements. The products must comply with the existing Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requirements for dietary supplements and requirements in the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. VS’s Hemp and Cannabinoids team is watching this closely.