This week, Hemp Grower spoke with cannabidiol (CBD) professionals who work at the first companies to be validated to proceed through the U.K Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) novel food application process for the cannabinoid. Seeking to obtain novel food authorization in the U.K. is considered a more rigorous application process than those seeking the designation throughout the European Union. CBD businesses all throughout Europe need to receive approval for their products to keep them on store shelves. Read more
HG Managing Editor Patrick Williams also dove into delta-8 THC’s listing in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (DEA’s) “Orange Book,” which names the cannabinoid on an online list of controlled substances. However, the listing is more of a guidance for operators rather than an official statement that delta-8 is indeed a controlled substance. Read more
Despite debate over its legality, delta-8 THC may offer one strategy to mitigating the glut of oversupply on the market. Current oversupply in the market totals to about 135 million pounds of hemp nationwide. To help mitigate that issue, HG contributor Jodi Helmer dug into six different strategies hemp producers may be able to employ to help get their biomass sold. Read more
In other news…
Lee Wedekind of Florida Capital Bank wrote a column on three tips for success for hemp and CBD businesses still seeking banking partners. “...[N]early 50% of new hemp customers reaching out to my team at FLCBank say they’ve recently been dropped from their bank – often with very little notice and even less assistance in finding alternative options,” Wedekind writes. Read more
Minnesota-based hemp producer Angela Dawson has founded a nationwide co-op for Black and other socially disadvantaged farmers called the 40 Acre Co-op, named for the 40 acres and a mule once promised to newly freed former slaves. “The co-op is really about honoring the legacy that we come from, which is this broken promise from the government and the USDA about how they were going to get things right with Black farmers. It never has happened,” Dawson says. “Hopefully with our cooperative, we can bring these issues to light and create more equity and justice in the agricultural system.” Read more
Ohio-based Dümmen Orange, through its Quick Plug division, has entered into a sales agreement with Dutch Heritage Gardens through its Royale Botanicals hemp division. By working together on creating exceptional genetics and developing nationwide production, this distribution network allows for premium quality hemp clones to be grown for CBD extraction. Read more
