Hemp news for professionals and investors. Learn about the latest policy, scientific, and business developments related to hemp cultivation and processing in the United States and around the world. From medicine to textiles, this plant has the potential to create momentous changes in the global economy while providing a more environmentally-friendly alternative to many existing technologies.
Tue / Mar 10th
Lawmakers in South Dakota have reached a hemp legalization deal with Gov. Kristi Noem, who had promised to veto hemp reforms without having funds set aside for costs associated with the plan.
Fri / Mar 6th
Bruce Linton, the renowned former CEO of Canopy Growth, has launched a new company focusing on hemp and CBD investment opportunities.
Tue / Mar 3rd
The coronavirus has now disrupted the CBD space after Expo West, the world’s largest natural products tradeshow, was canceled due to fears about a growing pandemic.
Fri / Feb 28th
The USDA has removed a requirement for the coming growing season that all hemp crops be tested by DEA-approved labs.
Thu / Feb 27th
Virginia lawmakers have passed a bill legalizing hemp cigarettes specifically to clear up confusion around the products’ legality.
Tue / Feb 25th
The World Ag Expo hosted its first-ever Hemp Innovation Challenge this year — it is one of the largest agriculture-based trade shows in the world.
Mon / Feb 24th
A recent study shows that not only do bees love the pollen from cannabis and hemp plants, but other direct benefits from the plant could help to protect their dwindling populations.
Fri / Feb 21st
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved industrial hemp programs for Washington and Wyoming, as well as the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Kansas, and the Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska.
Fri / Feb 21st
The Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control Board has licensed some 1,500 businesses in the state to sell CBD products under the state’s industrial hemp rules.
Wed / Feb 19th
A proposal in Georgia would require anyone carrying or transporting hemp to be carrying proper paperwork or face potential arrest and jail time for cannabis possession.
Thu / Feb 13th
UK officials at the Food Standards Agency say CBD products will be pulled off store shelves next year if they have not received any form of regulatory approval by then.
Tue / Feb 11th
The USDA created a pilot hemp insurance program that covers against loss of yield for hemp grown for fiber, grain, or CBD; the agency also gave hemp farmers access to the federal Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
Mon / Feb 10th
Oregon regulators have approved a rule to increase the amount of THC allowed in hemp-based concentrates, extracts, or tinctures. The move is expected to help reduce the amount of hemp and hemp products wasted due to high THC content.
Fri / Feb 7th
GenCanna Global USA Inc., an embattled Kentucky hemp processor, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but the company will continue operations during this process.
Thu / Jan 30th
An Idaho judge has ruled that Colorado company Big Sky Scientific must forfeit its 6,701-pound hemp shipment that was seized by Idaho State Police last year.
Thu / Jan 30th
An Ohio man who was arrested with 91 pounds of suspected THC-rich cannabis has been acquitted of drug charges because of the state’s hemp legalization law.
Thu / Jan 23rd
Oklahoma’s Cherokee Nation has announced plans to study the potential ramifications of major cannabis and hemp policy reforms.
Wed / Jan 22nd
A bill to legalize industrial hemp is set for a hearing in the Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee; farmers would be able to begin growing hemp under the proposal this year if the bill is signed into law.
Wed / Jan 15th
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who vetoed a hemp legalization bill last year, has listed four requirements for a piece of hemp legislation that she would be willing to sign.
Mon / Jan 13th
The Global Hemp Innovation Center operated by Oregon State University will receive $2.5 million from the federal government earmarked as part of a larger federal funding bill.
Wed / Jan 8th
A man who was jailed in Texas on federal drug charges has been freed after nearly a month; he was freed when lab tests finally confirmed his 3,350-pound hemp shipment contained less than 0.3 percent THC.
Mon / Jan 6th
Multiple independent tests of CBD-infused water have found it frequently contains zero CBD. A lab that approved test results for CBD-infused water has also been flagged by the FDA for numerous violations.
Mon / Jan 6th
Since hemp legalization took effect in the state last June, cannabis prosecutions in Texas have plummetted by 66%.
Thu / Jan 2nd
The Maysville Community and Technical College in Kentucky is set to offer a hemp production course starting this coming spring.
Many people believe that industrial hemp cultivation will radically transform our society. From textiles, to plastics, to medicine, and beyond, the potential applications of this one plant seem limitless.
Also, changing existing production models for many consumer and industrial products to a hemp-based production model would lead to a major reduction of carbon emissions and pollution, aiding in the fight against climate change.
Because the cultivation of hemp had been outlawed in most places until recently, the vast potential applications for this material also represent immense opportunities for innovators and early-movers to build a successful business.
Passed in 2018, the “Farm Bill” effectively legalized hemp within the United States after it had been outlawed for over half a century. Until recently, the U.S. government did not distinguish between “marijuana” and “hemp” — which are, after all, the same plant — but with the new designation, any plant with less than 0.3% THC is deemed “hemp” and is no longer prohibited.
Although it is no longer illegal, the path to becoming a cultivator of industrial hemp is not a very accessible one. Currently the U.S.D.A. has partnered with several state agricultural programs to approve several “pilot programs” where licenses to grow hemp are awarded to businesses. The process to acquire a license may vary from state to state, but it is nothing like starting a small farm to grow tomatoes and pumpkins.
Ganjapreneur is a resource for cannabis and hemp professionals to keep up on the latest industry news and developments in the world of business, policy, and science. Our mission is to work toward a cannabis industry that is ethical, inclusive, and sustainable.
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