March 11, 2020
On Feb. 27, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sent a flash update to the hemp industry announcing changes to some of the more complex aspects of the interim final rule for the establishment of a U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program. This update provides welcome relief as it loosens certain immediate requirements related to lab testing and clarifies other areas, such as appropriate methods of disposal.
Here are key highlights for lab testing and methods for crop disposal in USDA’s industry update:
At the time of this publication, USDA has received more than 4,685 comments in response to the interim final rule, a number of which highlighted the compliance difficulties with testing and disposal. While the USDA did not specify the reasoning for its decision to provide this update, the decision is likely in response to some of the comments and could further indicate the lack of the government’s capacity or readiness to effectively enforce in this emerging industry.
McGuireWoods’ team will continue to monitor and provide updates as the interim final rule proceeds toward finalization.