Hemp Coalition Releases New Hemp Policy Recommendations & Updated Model Plan
Feb 27, 2020
A coalition of hemp industry stakeholders released new policy recommendations and an updated model plan for state hemp programs today, providing policymakers across the U.S. with a guide to developing federally compliant state regulatory regimes.
Attorneys with Vicente Sederberg's hemp and cannabinoids department authored the document with support from Agricultural Hemp Solutions, the American Herbal Products Association, the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, and Vote Hemp. It is the first part of a two-part update to the VS-authored "2018 Farm Bill Policy Guide and Model Hemp Production Plan," which was released last February by the American Hemp Campaign.
Part one focuses on hemp production and aims to promote compliance with the 2018 farm bill and new hemp regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last October. Part two of the update will be made available in the coming weeks and addresses areas not governed by the USDA, such as processing and transportation.
In a statement accompanying the release of the document, lead author and VS partner Shawn Hauser said:
"Our updated policy guide and model plan outline the best practices and legal requirements states can utilize to create hemp programs that are operable, successful, and federally compliant. We plan to continue updating these documents to reflect the evolving legal and regulatory landscape governing the burgeoning U.S. hemp industry."
"Congress took a monumental step forward by ending our federal government's decades-long prohibition on hemp production. It is equally important that it be replaced with sensible laws and regulations that protect public health and safety while also allowing this new industry to flourish. This crop has an exceptional amount of potential to boost our economy and improve our environment, but it will only be reached if the rules that govern it are fair and practical."