This week, Panda Biotech announced it is donating 60 tons of hemp fiber seeds to Texas farmers, among other educational and research initiatives, before the company gains processing capacity in 2021. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released new guidance on servicing direct and guaranteed loans for industrial hemp.
Here are this week’s headlines you might have missed.
- National: The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has recently released new loan guidance for lenders servicing hemp producers. The seven-page document provides guidance on servicing direct and guaranteed loans for industrial hemp. It also includes parameters producers need to follow to be eligible for the FSA loans. Read more
- North Carolina: A judge in the North Carolina Court of Appeals has ruled that the trial court has personal jurisdiction of a case involving two hemp companies. Now, Hemp Inc. has announced one of its subsidiary’s plans to continue with its lawsuit against American Seed Genetic. Read more
- North Dakota: Hemp Grower spoke with Adams Independent Testing CEO and co-Founder Kia Mikesh on the prevalence of misleading and fraudulent certificates of analysis in the hemp industry, some red flags to look for and how to mitigate some issues that come with them. Read more
- Ohio: The Ohio Department of Agriculture received 198 applications for hemp production licenses for the 2020 growing season, the state’s first shot at a legal hemp market. It may be a lower number than industry stakeholders expected, but certain elements of the Ohio climate and the regulatory landscape may offer great promise. Read more
Meanwhile, the state has officially secured the testing equipment it needs to tell the difference between marijuana and hemp. Read more - Texas: While hemp production applications opened in Texas just two months ago, Panda Biotech, a Dallas-based hemp fiber and cellulose processing company, is working quickly to build up the state's fiber industry before the company kicks into full gear in 2021. The company has announced it is donating more than 60 tons of approved hemp fiber seed to Texas growers this upcoming season. Read more
