BOZEMAN — The 2018 Farm Bill directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a national regulatory framework for hemp production in the United States.
The final rule on hemp production went into effect on Monday, March 22nd, and is intended to bring much-needed clarity to hemp growers and processors here in Montana and across the nation.
Mae Wu, the USDA Deputy Under Secretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said, "It include provisions on licensing, on record-keeping, about the land where hemp is produced, sampling and testing requirements with a THC concentration level compliance disposing of remediating plants that don't comply and procedures for handling violation."
The final rule raises the negligence threshold for hemp's THC level from .5 percent to 1 percent and limits the maximum number of negligent violations that a producer can receive in a growing season (calendar year) to one.
Wu explained, "There are a few changes between the interim final rule and the final rule USDA had worked closely with our partners and other federal agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration. So adopt rules that are significantly more flexible for producers and state and tribal regulatory body that are overseeing the hemp program."
The final rule’s modifications were based on public comments and lessons learned during the 2020 growing season and hopefully lead to growth of the crop.
Visit the USDA website for more information.
- Montana Ag Report: Hemp producers in Montana
