USDA approves federal hemp plan

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has established the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program.

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said the program creates a consistent regulatory framework around hemp production across the United States.

“At USDA, we are always excited when there are new economic opportunities for our farmers, and we hope the ability to grow hemp will pave the way for new products and markets,” said Secretary Perdue. “We have had teams operating with all hands-on-deck to develop a regulatory framework that meets Congressional intent while seeking to provide a fair, consistent, and science-based process for states, tribes, and individual producers who want to participate in this program.”

An interim final rule will be published later this week, allowing hemp to be grown under federally approved plans. It will also make hemp producers eligible for a number of agricultural programs and establish a federal plan for producers in states that don’t have their own production plan.

The rule will provide requirements for maintaining information on the land where hemp is produced, testing levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), licensing rules, and procedures for disposing of plants that don’t meet necessary requirements.

A preview of the rule is available here.