Hemp farmers have a number of choices and sources for the varieties they will plant in 2021. But if they’re electing to use seed-propagated varieties, there are several criteria that growers should consider in selecting genetics. Jeremy Klettke, founder, CEO and head plant breeder at Davis Farms of Oregon in Portland, outlined basic requirements growers… Continue reading 8 things to consider when selecting seed-propagated hemp genetics for field planting
Category: Hemp Cultivation, Processing & Extraction News
Pennsylvania awarding grants to promote hemp sales, exports
Pennsylvania is awarding $253,000 to organizations with projects designed to increase sales and exports of hemp products. Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the grants until March 5, PennWatch reported. Projects aimed at promoting consumer awareness are also eligible. “Hemp has presented a unique opportunity to build an industry from the ground up,… Continue reading Pennsylvania awarding grants to promote hemp sales, exports
How to head off partnership disputes before they happen
(This story appears in the February issue of Marijuana Business Magazine.) Partnership disputes — whether between business partners or owners and investors — continue to be an ugly feature of the marijuana and hemp industries. Such conflicts can be costly and time-consuming; plus, they can sink a cannabis company. But there are steps companies can… Continue reading How to head off partnership disputes before they happen
DEA asking applicants about hemp use before legalization
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is asking job applicants whether they’ve used hemp before it was legalized in 2018, saying current and past drug use is taken into account in the hiring process. The DEA posted the updated questionnaire for applicants this month, asking prospective employees to “Please include any Hemp or Cannabidiol (CBD) use,… Continue reading DEA asking applicants about hemp use before legalization
Are hemp plant breeders ramping up on utility patents to protect novel varieties?
Hemp genetics companies have been actively pursuing patents to protect their intellectual property after years of work to develop novel genetics. But despite intellectual property protection that became available after the U.S. legalized hemp production in 2018, some companies are still opting for more expensive and more comprehensive plant utility patents for the highest level… Continue reading Are hemp plant breeders ramping up on utility patents to protect novel varieties?
Indoor grow facility designer Urban-Gro goes public on Nasdaq
This story first appeared at Marijuana Business Daily. Cultivation facility design and engineering firm Urban-Gro priced an initial public offering on the Nasdaq exchange to raise $54 million before expenses. The IPO put up 5.4 million shares of the Lafayette, Colorado-based company at a price of $10 per share. Urban-Gro also works in the non-cannabis… Continue reading Indoor grow facility designer Urban-Gro goes public on Nasdaq
Drug possession charges against Minnesota hemp farmer dropped
Prosecutors have dismissed charges against a Minnesota hemp farmer whose plants had elevated THC levels, saying that they had trouble locating witnesses because of delays in the case. Fillmore County prosecutors filed felony possession charges against Luis Hummel in March 2019 after seizing his plants. They tested at 3% THC, 10 times higher than the THC… Continue reading Drug possession charges against Minnesota hemp farmer dropped
California labor board shuts down hemp seed company for workforce pay, insurance violations
A California hemp seed company was closed by the state labor board following complaints that the company hadn’t paid more than a dozen full-time workers since mid-December. The California Labor Commissioner’s Office shut down Castillo Seed Company, based in Half Moon Bay, in late January. The company had sent a letter to its workforce in… Continue reading California labor board shuts down hemp seed company for workforce pay, insurance violations
USDA creating hemp germplasm collection, funding lab to study plant breeding
Dionne Toombs Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture say they’re studying ways to boost hemp production and profitability for growers, and are collecting the first national statistics on domestic hemp production to be ready by next year. But Dionne Toombs, director for USDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist, gave no indication this week at… Continue reading USDA creating hemp germplasm collection, funding lab to study plant breeding
3M eyes hemp for adhesives, packaging replacements — even growing new organs
3M’s Don Davidson uses everyday sticky notes to demostrate how hemp could become part of tomorrow’s adhesives (photo via National Hemp Symposium) Industrial conglomerate 3M Co. thinks hemp can be part of the sustainability “megatrend” and is looking at hemp components to do everything from strengthening packaging tape to helping grow human tissue and organs.… Continue reading 3M eyes hemp for adhesives, packaging replacements — even growing new organs
Oregon hemp-drying companies fined nearly $600K for air violations
Two associated hemp drying companies and their chief executive have each been fined nearly $200,000 by state environmental regulators in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued fines of $198,786 to Columbia Hemp Trading Company and $196,288 each to related company Columbia 410 and CEO Jacob Crabtree. The firms were operating out of the… Continue reading Oregon hemp-drying companies fined nearly $600K for air violations
Former NBA star Isiah Thomas invests $3 million in his hemp and marijuana company
NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas is investing $3 million in his company One World Pharma, which grows hemp and marijuana in Colombia. Thomas, who played 13 seasons for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, became CEO of One World Pharma in July. The company is located in Las Vegas but has a 30-acre regional cultivation facility… Continue reading Former NBA star Isiah Thomas invests $3 million in his hemp and marijuana company
Hemp operators interested in federal checkoff program, survey shows
A clear majority of hemp farmers and processors support establishing a federal program to promote the crop, according to a survey by two industry groups, but not everyone supports paying for it. The National Industrial Hemp Council and the Hemp Industries Association polled their members late last year on the question of having a checkoff… Continue reading Hemp operators interested in federal checkoff program, survey shows
Vancouver company locks down water rights for hemp construction plans in Colorado
A Canadian hemp producer says it has acquired the water rights necessary to pursue its plan to grow hemp in northwestern Colorado and process the hemp into construction components for affordable homes on the same land. Global Hemp Group says it has acquired control of Western Sierra Resource Corp. of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and its… Continue reading Vancouver company locks down water rights for hemp construction plans in Colorado
USDA: Slowing bailout payments will cause farm income to fall in 2021
U.S. farmers could bring home almost $10 billion less in annual income in 2021 because of slowed federal pandemic payouts to farmers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that farm income in 2021 will decrease $9.8 billion, to $111.4 billion. The falling income forecast comes as Congress pumps the brakes on pandemic-related relief funds for… Continue reading USDA: Slowing bailout payments will cause farm income to fall in 2021
Opinion: Hope is not a strategy, so stop tolling
(Editor’s note: This story is part of a recurring series of commentaries from professionals connected to the hemp industry. Julie Lerner is CEO of PanXchange, a commodity trading platform and benchmark price provider.) Basing the multibillion-dollar, pie-in-the-sky forecasts for the U.S. addressable market for CBD on retail shelf prices disturbs me. It’s as illogical as… Continue reading Opinion: Hope is not a strategy, so stop tolling
Broad-spectrum extract tea maker accused of false THC claim
A Michigan company making broad-spectrum hemp teas is battling claims that its products falsely promised 0.0% THC content. Total Life Changes LLC of Fair Haven, Michigan, has been sued by a New Jersey man who says the company’s instant Iaso Tea is “intentionally misleading the general public” by carrying a label that says it “contains… Continue reading Broad-spectrum extract tea maker accused of false THC claim
CBD brand hires former FDA executive to oversee regulatory initiatives
North Carolina CBD maker cbdMD has hired Sibyl Swift, a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official as a consultant to lead the company’s regulatory efforts and prepare products for certifications. Swift served in various roles at the FDA from 2014 to 2020, most notably as the associate director for research and strategy in the… Continue reading CBD brand hires former FDA executive to oversee regulatory initiatives
Bipartisan legislation directs Congress to regulate hemp-CBD as a dietary supplement
A bipartisan bill that was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday could push legal CBD through Congress, providing consumer access and protection while clearing the supply chain bottleneck. The Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2021 is sponsored by Representatives Kurt Schrader, a Democrat from Oregon, and Morgan… Continue reading Bipartisan legislation directs Congress to regulate hemp-CBD as a dietary supplement
Time to invest in cannabis in Mexico is now, attorneys say
Mexico is moving ahead on medical marijuana regulation — and all hemp and marijuana companies that envision doing business there in the future should start preparing now, lawyers say. The Mexican government has begun setting a regulatory structure for medical cannabis in the country, making it possible for companies to start applying for research licenses… Continue reading Time to invest in cannabis in Mexico is now, attorneys say
New Mexico judge repeals hemp regulations that revoked licenses without notice
A New Mexico district court has invalidated the state’s hemp production rules that allowed regulators to revoke or suspend licenses without notice and imposed strict testing requirements. Santa Fe District Court Judge Bryan Biedscheid said the New Mexico Department of Health’s rules were invalid because the agency failed to consult with the Medical Cannabis Advisory… Continue reading New Mexico judge repeals hemp regulations that revoked licenses without notice
New USDA hemp rules: Find out what you need to know to succeed
The U.S. Department of Agriculture kicked off 2021 with the release of federal regulations that will govern hemp production going forward. Find out the key elements of the new rules with a free webinar with leading industry professionals who will provide an overview of what hemp operators need to succeed. There is still time to… Continue reading New USDA hemp rules: Find out what you need to know to succeed
Know before you grow: How to access certified hemp varieties
In the two years since hemp became a legal commercial crop in the United States, producers’ challenges in sourcing a consistent supply of predictable, reliable genetics haven’t subsided, as the industry establishes itself and plant-breeding efforts continue. Growers looking to source reliable hemp genetics may consider looking at seed from varieties that have been produced… Continue reading Know before you grow: How to access certified hemp varieties
AOSCA review board clears 4 new CBD-dominant seeds
A publicly traded California biotech company announced Tuesday that four of its hemp seed varieties have been aproved by the national variety board of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies. Davis-based Arcadia Biosciences received eligibility for certified seed production for its GoodHemp brand varieties including Rogue, Umpqua, Santiam and Potomac. All four varieties are… Continue reading AOSCA review board clears 4 new CBD-dominant seeds
Despite pandemic, Midwest hemp producers build regional database to spot best cultivation practices
Want to know the best time to plant hemp in the Midwest? Or what cultivar consistently produces a crop below 0.3% THC? Researchers in the Midwest have successfully pooled that information despite the pandemic, creating a database designed to give farmers an idea of what to expect from their hemp cultivars in 2021 and beyond.… Continue reading Despite pandemic, Midwest hemp producers build regional database to spot best cultivation practices
USDA coronavirus relief to hemp farmers on hold – for now
Hemp farmers getting federal pandemic assistance will see those payments frozen because of the changed administration. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that payments under the latest round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program are on hold “until further notice” — though interested farmers can continue applying through Feb. 26. The latest round of coronavirus… Continue reading USDA coronavirus relief to hemp farmers on hold – for now
Senate to consider new ag chief Tom Vilsack
The Senate Agriculture Committee talks to an experienced hemp regulator Tuesday when it considers the confirmation of Tom Vilsack for Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack, an Iowan, is President Joe Biden’s nominee and served in the same role for all eight years of the Obama administration. He oversaw the USDA during passage and implementation of the… Continue reading Senate to consider new ag chief Tom Vilsack
Chart: Making sense of USDA’s new rules for disposing of hot hemp
(Editor’s note: This comes from Hemp Industry Daily‘s free updated USDA Final Hemp Rule report, available for download here.) The mishmash of U.S. hemp rules is on its way out. More than two years after Congress made hemp a legal agricultural commodity, farmers finally have one national set of rules for growing it – instead of a confusing,… Continue reading Chart: Making sense of USDA’s new rules for disposing of hot hemp
USDA official touts hemp rules as ‘fair, consistent, science-based’
A top official with the U.S. Department of Agriculture praised the agency’s work on hemp this week, putting into doubt any plans to make additional changes. Sonia Jimenez, deputy administrator for the Specialty Crops Program in the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, talked up the rules in a newsletter the agency sends to farmers. “The work… Continue reading USDA official touts hemp rules as ‘fair, consistent, science-based’
FTC officials weigh in on CBD crackdown on false ads, urge caution
Federal regulators that go after companies for false advertising recently weighed on sanctions against CBD companies, with one urging the agency to focus on opioid manufacturers and another warning against a chilling effect on legitimate cannabis research. Rohit Chopra and Christine S. Wilson, two of five members on the Federal Trade Commission, recently published statements… Continue reading FTC officials weigh in on CBD crackdown on false ads, urge caution