Farm Bill Provisions Lifting Federal Hemp Ban Become Law

Yes! Hemp Hemp Horay! I eat organic hemp powder very day, and it costs 17.00/lb when not on sale! Thank You Jesus! God is with us! Looking forward to watching this new industry grow!

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https://blog.norml.org/2018/12/20/farm-bill-provisions-lifting-federal-hemp-ban-become-law/
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by NORML <small class="feed-date">December 20, 2018</small>
Comments

President Donald Trump today signed legislation into law that includes language lifting the United States’ decades-long prohibition on domestic, commercial hemp production. The provisions were included within The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka ‘The Farm Bill’), which takes effect on January 1, 2019.
“The significance of this law change should not be underemphasized,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “This law marks the first change in the federal classification of the cannabis plant since it was initially classified as a schedule I controlled substance by Congress in 1970, and paves the way for the first federally-sanctioned commercial hemp grows since World War II.”
Language included in the 2014 version of the Farm Bill (Sec. 7606) permitted states to license farmers to cultivate hemp as part of a university-sanction pilot program, but did not allow for the commercialization of the crop.
The hemp-specific provisions of the 2018 Act amend the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970 so that hemp plants containing no more than 0.3 percent THC are no longer classified as a schedule I controlled substance under federal law.
The Act also broadens the definition of ‘hemp’ (Section 297A) to include “any part of the plant, including …. extracts [or] cannabinoids” that do not possess greater than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis. To date, various commercial products – such as some CBD oils – are advertised as being derived from hemp, although some experts in the field dispute the notion that such plants are an efficient source for cannabinoids.
The Act (Section 297B) permits those US states that wish to possess “primary regulatory authority over the production of hemp” to submit a plan to the US Secretary of Agriculture. The agency has 60 days to approve, disapprove, or amend the plan. In instances where a state-proposed plan is not approved, “it shall be unlawful to produce hemp in that state … without a license.” Federal grant opportunities will be available to licensed commercial farmers, as will the ability for farmers to obtain crop insurance. The Act does not federally recognize non-licensed, non-commercial hemp cultivation activities.
Nothing in the new language (Section 297D) shall “affect or modify” the existing regulatory powers of the US Food and Drug Administration or other agencies with regard to the enforcement of the US Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics Act or the Public Health Service Act. The FDA has previously acknowledged that it will “take action when we see the illegal marketing of CBD-containing products with unproven medical claims. We’re especially concerned when these products are marketed for serious or life-threatening diseases, where the illegal promotion of an unproven compound could discourage a patient from seeking other therapies that have proven benefits.”
NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said: “These changes represent a significant and long overdue shift in US policy. Nonetheless, future regulatory efforts will likely still be required to address emerging consumer issues when it comes to the commercial sale and marketing of certain hemp-derived products, particularly so-called hemp-derived CBD extracts. For years, many of the producers of these products have navigated in a grey area of the law — manufacturing products of variable and sometimes questionable quality and safety. Now it is time for lawmakers to craft consistent benchmark safety and quality standards for hemp-derived CBD in order to increase consumer satisfaction and confidence as this nascent industry transitions into a legal marketplace.”
On Background:
What is hemp?
Unlike traditional cannabis, which is primarily grown for the purpose of harvesting its flowers, industrial hemp is a fibrous crop grown mainly for its stalk and seeds — which can be utilized in the manufacturing of textiles, paper, animal feed, food-stuffs and numerous other products. Because only trace levels of THC, the primary psychotropic compound in marijuana, is present in hemp, most countries — including Canada and Japan — appropriately define it as an agricultural crop and not as a controlled substance. In fact, according to the Congressional Research Service, “The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop.”
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is one of a number of naturally occurring cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. It possesses a number of known therapeutic effects, such as anxioltytic and anti-convulsant effects. Like other cannabinoids, it is most prominent in cannabis flowers, and not in the plant’s stalks. As a result, some experts opine, “Traditional hemp is an inefficient source of CBD.” Federal agencies like the US Food and Drug Administration maintain that CBD sourced from traditional cannabis meets the criteria of a schedule I controlled substance.
Can’t some states already grow hemp?
Yes. Under Sec. 7606 of the 2014 Farm Act, states may license farmers to cultivate hemp as part of a university-sanction pilot program. Over 40 states have enacted legislation permitting such activity.

pipeline said:

The Act also broadens the definition of ‘hemp’ (Section 297A) to include “any part of the plant, including …. extracts [or] cannabinoids” that do not possess greater than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis.

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Does this now classify all cannabis seeds as 'hemp' (on a federal level) since they don't contain THC?

If that's the case then wouldn't any kind of cannabis seed be legal even the ones that grow out plants with more than .3% THC. (This would make them similar to psychedelic mushrooms spores being legal since they don't contain psilocybin)

Will this open up seeds being more available within the US? ie med/rec states can now send seeds to non-medical/non-recreational states since they don't contain THC and would thus fall under the definition of being 'hemp'?

Would be nice to see customs no longer being told to confiscate 'hemp' seeds.

Interesting point blynx

blynx said:

Does this now classify all cannabis seeds as 'hemp' (on a federal level) since they don't contain THC?

If that's the case then wouldn't any kind of cannabis seed be legal even the ones that grow out plants with more than .3% THC. (This would make them similar to psychedelic mushrooms spores being legal since they don't contain psilocybin)

Will this open up seeds being more available within the US? ie med/rec states can now send seeds to non-medical/non-recreational states since they don't contain THC and would thus fall under the definition of being 'hemp'?

Would be nice to see customs no longer being told to confiscate 'hemp' seeds.

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Customs will confiscate fruit if coming from overseas. I think.

I think one of the main things this does is allow the banking and credit card companies in. It has been an inhibiting factor. This will also bring in more Wall St., pension funds and hedge fund money since the banking prohibitions will have been lifted. Also, doctors can now ethically and honestly talk about cbd, since they are no longer advocating breaking laws by recommending cbd products. Parents will not be afraid to give it to their children. We are going to start carrying pre rolled cbd joints at our vape shops. We live in a very unfriendly state that did recently pass a hemp bill and are very excited.

CBD products derived from hemp will have to pass the approval of the FDA. I think.

blynx said:

Does this now classify all cannabis seeds as 'hemp' (on a federal level) since they don't contain THC?

If that's the case then wouldn't any kind of cannabis seed be legal even the ones that grow out plants with more than .3% THC. (This would make them similar to psychedelic mushrooms spores being legal since they don't contain psilocybin)

Will this open up seeds being more available within the US? ie med/rec states can now send seeds to non-medical/non-recreational states since they don't contain THC and would thus fall under the definition of being 'hemp'?

Would be nice to see customs no longer being told to confiscate 'hemp' seeds.

Click to expand...

Right now, I can only get hemp seed that has the hull removed or turned into powder. My best guess, is its going to be kept tightly controlled.



Will there be backyard growing of hemp? Can we grow CBD hemp in 2019? I would buy some clones from Oregon CBD!

FDA Weighs In On Legal Status of Commercially Available ‘Hemp-Derived’ CBD Products




https://blog.norml.org/2018/12/21/f...ercially-available-hemp-derived-cbd-products/


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by NORML <small class="feed-date">December 21, 2018</small>
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<small class="feed-date">Following yesterday’s passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottleib issued a statement with regard to the agency’s oversight of products commercially marketed as ‘hemp-derived’ CBD. </small>The FDA states: “We’re aware of the growing public interest in cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including cannabidiol (CBD). This increasing public interest in these products makes it even more important with the passage of this law for the FDA to clarify its regulatory authority over these products. In short, we treat products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds as we do any other FDA-regulated products — meaning they’re subject to the same authorities and requirements as FDA-regulated products containing any other substance. This is true regardless of the source of the substance, including whether the substance is derived from a plant that is classified as hemp under the Agriculture Improvement Act.”
The FDA maintains that nothing in the 2018 Farm Act overrides the authority of the agency “to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and section 351 of the Public Health Service Act.” It further states: “Additionally, it’s unlawful under the FD&C Act to introduce food containing added CBD or THC into interstate commerce, or to market CBD or THC products as, or in, dietary supplements, regardless of whether the substances are hemp-derived. … We’ll take enforcement action needed to protect public health against companies illegally selling cannabis and cannabis-derived products that can put consumers at risk and are being marketed in violation of the FDA’s authorities.”
It concludes: “While products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds remain subject to the FDA’s authorities and requirements, there are pathways available for those who seek to lawfully introduce these products into interstate commerce. The FDA will continue to take steps to make the pathways for the lawful marketing of these products more efficient.”
Provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill amend the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970 so that hemp plants containing no more than 0.3 percent THC are no longer classified as a schedule I controlled substance under federal law. The Act also broadens the definition of ‘hemp’ (Section 297A) to include “any part of the plant, including …. extracts [or] cannabinoids” that do not possess greater than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis. This language seemingly allows for the future legalization (under federal law) of some CBD-specific products, presuming they are derived from licensed hemp producers who are in compliance with both state and federal regulations, and are marketed in such a way that does not violate the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. However, to date, significant disagreement exists among experts as to whether traditional hemp plants are a viable source for cannabinoid extraction.
NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said that greater oversight of the market is in the best interest of consumers:
“Future regulatory efforts at the state and federal level will likely still be required to address emerging consumer issues when it comes to the commercial sale and marketing of hemp-derived products, particularly so-called hemp-derived CBD extracts,”
“Increasingly, many of the producers of these products have navigated in a dubious grey area of the law — manufacturing products of variable and sometimes questionable quality and safety. It is imperative that lawmakers craft consistent benchmark safety and quality standards to boost consumer confidence and ultimately be able to hold bad actors accountable as this nascent industry transitions into a legal marketplace.”
You can see the NORML factsheet on CBD by clicking here.
What is hemp?
Unlike traditional cannabis, which is primarily grown for the purpose of harvesting its flowers, industrial hemp is a fibrous crop grown mainly for its stalk and seeds — which can be utilized in the manufacturing of textiles, paper, animal feed, food-stuffs and numerous other products. Because only trace levels of THC, the primary psychotropic compound in marijuana, is present in hemp, most countries — including Canada and Japan — appropriately define it as an agricultural crop and not as a controlled substance. In fact, according to the Congressional Research Service, “The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop.”
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is one of a number of naturally occurring cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. It possesses a number of known therapeutic effects, such as anxioltytic and anti-convulsant effects. Like other cannabinoids, it is most prominent in cannabis flowers, and not in the plant’s stalks. As a result, some experts opine, “Traditional hemp is an inefficient source of CBD.” Federal agencies like the US Food and Drug Administration maintain that CBD sourced from traditional cannabis meets the criteria of a schedule I controlled substance.
Are commercially available CBD products safe and effective?
In recent years, marketers have advertised a variety of ‘hemp-derived’ CBD-related products online and in other venues. However, third-party analytical testing of some of these products has consistently found them to be of varying quality and safety. In some instances, products have been found to contain far lower percentages of CBD than advertised. In other instances, products alleging to be THC-free have been found to possess THC as well as other psychotropic adulterants. Further, in almost all instances, commercially available CBD products contain far lower quantities of CBD than are necessary to yield therapeutic effects in clinical trials.

I'm taking a seat for this thread right here

Thanks for starting the thread Pipeline!

The FDA waving its Cheeto-encrusted dick around.... this doesn’t sound like the stage is being set for a liberalization of cannabis reg...all very priggish.

I remember another industry trying to become legit...the organization that did a lot of influence for the industry was so hungry for “legal status” that they pushed really bad legislation, I guess on the theory that anything was better than nothing (not true), and they’d fix it in post (never even tried)...those ‘efforts’ have been bad for that industry.

A bad deal may not be a net improvement or even an ‘improvement’ at all, and it may be hard to undo.
We could really use a voice for small growers.

I think the reality is though, in states that have already passed the legislation for pilot programs, remember, there are 40 of them, to avoid FDA oversight, you simply don't make any sort of medical or health claims on the label or in advertising. Then, the product doesn't fall under their jurisdiction, as a drug, it falls under the jurisdiction of the agriculture bodies and associated compliance regulators, as an agricultural crop.

In other words, it would seem if all you are doing is growing the agricultural commodity and selling it to a processor, then it would be hard to find yourself in a position to warrant FDA oversight.

From a farming standpoint, just because you grow cotton doesn't mean you know a single thing about making t-shirts. Hemp is just another textile, in that sense, grown as a crop and sold for whatever stuff other people do with it.

Perhaps, I'm wrong?



dank.Frank

"This product is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease". That is what we are required to put on our labels. All our cbd products were originally sent off to labs to confirm the formulas and dosage. All the cbd comes to us with testing attatched. The state i live in, South Carolina, passed a strong hemp bill last year and allotted 20 farmers acreage to grow. The guy I deal with has over 1.3 million pounds of raw hemp. He is making concentrate 24 hours a day. I know another guy who has an allotment and is doing basically the same thing. The nation is about to get flooded with cheap readily available cbd and by the time its done it will be in everything and will become the next "thing". We have 17 retail stores and have sold so much cbd and have new customers every day and though it seems to people like us who are hip and in the biz that we are late to the party the reality is that most common folk don't have a clue what cbd is or anything about it. We see it every day in our stores. The heightened awareness that legalization brings, FOX, other news networks have all run stories about the Farm Bill and hemp will only open up the door further and grease the skids to widespread knowledge about cbd and eventually all the cannabinoids. Very exciting times.


BTW, the one guy with the million pounds has contracts with Volvo to provide hemp fiber to make panels and car parts out of hemp and polymers. Pretty cool shit. Lots more coming.

Yeah can you describe a little bit about growing process for cbd hemp? Are there any good threads for it?


https://purduehemp.org/


I'm considering starting in a couple years putting in some acres of cbd and my friend will farm the rest of the 33 acres with grain/fiber hemp. I'm just not looking forward to the regulatory work involved. Hopefully they streamline it.



My dad's side of the family has a dairy farm, and I gave all the women hemp protein powder for Christmas! They didnt' say much, most people don't know what it is. Its going to be a big thing the new market. New jobs! Going to save in 2019 and aim for 2020. Im going to be a Cannabis farmer!

INFOWARS -John Bowne Report
https://www.infowars.com/hemp-for-america/
Hemp For America!

President Trump recently unleashed the powerful Hemp industry and the establishment is terrified




https://youtu.be/tR-Z8da7kIY


<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tR-Z8da7kIY" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" width="800" height="483" frameborder="0"></iframe>

my partner and i are in the process of making fem hemp seeds . the strains that have passed colorados testing that we have crossed for 3 yrs a good winter project. with each run we send some product into a state certified testing facility . each run yields about 100,000 seeds . we saw this coming and how hard it was to get high cbd low thc seeds so we now have 4 strains with over 14 % cbd and below .04 thc you can have the plants test over .3 just not .4 so the not over .3 law must of been lawyers most run under .3 unless you mess up feeding them.

ANY support by that Infowars blowhard will have negative popular impact on ANYTHING that creep supports.

pipeline said:

Yeah can you describe a little bit about growing process for cbd hemp? Are there any good threads for it?


https://purduehemp.org/


I'm considering starting in a couple years putting in some acres of cbd and my friend will farm the rest of the 33 acres with grain/fiber hemp. I'm just not looking forward to the regulatory work involved. Hopefully they streamline it.



My dad's side of the family has a dairy farm, and I gave all the women hemp protein powder for Christmas! They didnt' say much, most people don't know what it is. Its going to be a big thing the new market. New jobs! Going to save in 2019 and aim for 2020. Im going to be a Cannabis farmer!

Click to expand...

It would be interesting to consider a dairy farm doing a switchover to hemp instead of corn and hay. I bet hemp silage has a lot of nutrition. Might make milk taste different. Hay, silage, seed crops, make ethanol and biodiesel to run the farm. It would be so good to substantially reduce the amount of corn acreage and the use of corn based products,( not limited to but at the absolute top is high fructose corn syrup) , and the power that big Ag has over farmers, and everyone who uses their products. Hemp could very well be a catalyst that has profound effects on our society and opens the crack in the doorway enough to let that small sliver of light shine in on the cold dark floor and if enough people follow the light and push on the door maybe we can bust out of the prison they are building around us as we enjoy bread and circuses.


Or maybe Kathy Ireland and her company Level Brands will control the whole thing. I guess the ball is in our court.

yeah, I wonder if hempseed feed for animals might replace soybeans

And much less toxic crop

If only Jack Herer was here to see this

Hemp is the break through we need for the environment and for farmers, health, everything

This is good news!

dddaver said:

ANY support by that Infowars blowhard will have negative popular impact on ANYTHING that creep supports.

Click to expand...

Why would Infowars have a negative impact? What are you talking about?

This is good news, but the FDA needs to back off.

They are trying to regulate CBD extracts, and there is a company working to patent it as a medicine. It would make sense for people to be able to grow their own CBD cannabis in the backyard and refine it themself.



Companies who sell CBD extract right now will soon have to advertise it just as Hemp extract, not regarding the CBD to maintain compliance with FDA rules.