Michelle Bodian Featured in INCBA CLE: Hemp 301

Aug 20, 2021

VS senior associate attorney Michelle Bodian joined a panel of colleagues for the INCBA CLE: "Hemp 301 - Hemp and Climate/Environment: Challenges and Opportunities." Learn more about the CLE topic and watch it anytime here.

About the CLE:

Now that the statute legalizing hemp and hemp-derived products has been implemented through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations, hemp is a commodity that can be grown, processed, and marketed pursuant to USDA regulations. With a renewed focus on climate footprint and sustainability placed on the agriculture sector by the new Biden Administration, hemp is in a unique position to be viewed as a green and climate-friendly alternative.

Hemp production has benefits of carbon sequestration and soil “cleaning”; the use of hemp fiber as an alternative for the manufacturing of clothing, building materials (hempcrete), and other products could reduce the climate footprint of these industries. This demand could be spurred by government-mandated standards or retailer demand on suppliers to meet climate private standards. New government funding may become available to incentivize clean sectors such as hemp.

At the same time, there are environmental challenges, including emerging strict standards for toxins (e.g., Colorado and Canada); water usage; land use, and production issues. Environmental compliance is an important legal area for hemp production.

Click here to watch on-demand!