From Marijuana Business Daily, hemp’s journey through the regulatory maze has been unique thus far. The 2018 Farm Bill’s passage represents an end to several decades’ prohibition of cannabis byproducts by moving hemp from the classification of a cannabis derivative to an agricultural good.
The 2014 Farm Bill gave states the right to regulate hemp (and by extension, CBD) and facilitate research pilot programs. However, changes to the 2016 Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)’s drug code eliminated interstate sales. The industry decried the move because of the effects on their companies. Companies knew this modification would profoundly impact their business and only an act of Congress could change that outcome.
That act of Congress came in the form of the 2018 Farm Bill. With a landslide majority vote in the Congress, insiders expect to be signed into law by President Trump by next week.
Provisions within the 2018 Farm Bill:
- Remove hemp’s low amounts of THC (0.03% and below) from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act
- Allow nationwide hemp production
- Restart interstate commerce for hemp & CBD products
- Charge the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to oversee states’ regulations and treat hemp as any other agricultural commodity
- Grant states to submit individual oversight plans to the USDA
- Permit the USDA to have the option to approve states’ plans or deny them
What’s Next?
Time will tell what the USDA and states settle on for regulations and standards. With the start of interstate commerce, hemp & CBD manufacturers and distributors join a highly competitive market. Fortunately, with InstantGMP™ MES software, can leverage Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) make their brand synonymous with quality, consistency, and traceability.
InstantGMP™ MES is an affordable, all-in-one manufacturing and quality software that will give your business a competitive edge. Learn more about InstantGMP™ MES and let’s get the conversation started by going to: www.InstantGMP.com/solutions/mes