This week, the USDA issued its final rule on hemp. The new regulations include some favorable amendments for the industry, as well as some contentious aspects of the interim final rule. However, some industry experts question whether the incoming Biden administration will affect its implementation. Read more
Patents also dominated hemp news this week. Digital Editor Eric Sandy delved into a lawsuit between two cannabis industry giants, Canopy Growth Corp. and GW Pharmaceuticals. Canopy Growth alleges that GW Pharmaceuticals produces Epidiolex via Canopy's patented CO2 extraction method. Read more
Meanwhile, CBD industry giant Charlotte’s Web has secured U.S. utility patents for two new hemp varietals. The patents cover two of the company's new feminized seed hybrid hemp varieties developed under the company's breeding program: 'Kirsche' (US Patent No. 10,888,060) and 'Lindorea' (US Patent No. 10,888,059). Read more
The CBD industry also received an update this week from the FDA, which released a new report calling for additional research from real-world usage of the cannabinoid. The agency is searching for data relating to patient health status and health care delivery to understand potential adverse reactions to CBD better. "While the FDA appreciates the information and engagement from numerous stakeholders on CBD-related issues, many evidence gaps remain," say FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn and Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy. Read more
Other News
California was active on the hemp front this week, as the state recently proposed a new bill trying once again to legalize CBD in ingestible and topical products. But the bill comes with a twist: It also bans smokable hemp. However, industry sources and lawmakers emphasize that the ban on smokable hemp could be debated and negotiated in the state legislature. Read more
Meanwhile, Humboldt County in California is considering banning hemp cultivation permanently, citing concerns with cross pollination and “the introduction of new pests and pathogens [to cannabis] from Industrial Hemp.” Read more
In other news:
- Indiana lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would create a Cannabis Compliance Commission to regulate both cannabis and hemp in the state. Read more
- Kentucky lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would increase the allowable THC limit in hemp in the state from 0.3% to 1%. Read more
- The New York Cannabis Growers & Processors Association (NYCGPA) provided formal comments on the state’s proposed hemp and CBD regulations, using the opportunity primarily to advocate for hemp flower in the commercial market. Read more
- Oregon-based East Fork Cultivars is mourning the loss of its co-founder, Joel Matthew Fischer, who died unexpectedly Jan. 8 at age 37. Read more
- The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) announced that it has begun contactless record inspections for all hemp grower registrants to ensure it can continue inspections safely during the COVID-19 pandemic even though operations have moved indoors. Read more
