October 2019 - HempWire

ThursdayOct 31, 2019 4:00 pm

The USDA Hemp Rules Are Finally Out

CBD users, hemp farmers, and processors can finally breathe a collective sigh of relief after the USDA finally released the much-anticipated hemp regulations. On Tuesday, the US Department of Agriculture released draft rules for hemp production and said it would soon begin accepting state regulatory plans for the newly legal crop. The long-awaited interim final rule will be published in the Federal Registry by the end of this week, followed by a 60-day comment period. Once the rules are finalized, states and tribes will be able to submit their regulation plans to the USDA for evaluation. Any jurisdictions that don't…

ThursdayOct 31, 2019 12:33 pm

SinglePoint Inc. (SING) CEO Reports NACS Excitement over Hemp Cigarettes, Budding Financial Promise for Direct Solar Subsidiary

SinglePoint is researching opportunities through which it can influence the strategy and direction of high-potential companies The company’s CEO recently discussed the multifaceted path forward for SinglePoint on MoneyTV SinglePoint’s ability to market hemp cigarettes at NACS was deemed “perfect timing” A diversified holding company, SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) specializes in the acquisition of small to mid-sized companies. With operations in manifold industries and verticals, SinglePoint offers investors the opportunity to make investments for portfolio appreciation through diversification in various assets. In essence, the company researches opportunities where it can be an active participant by influencing the strategy and direction…

ThursdayOct 31, 2019 9:00 am

Licensed Hemp Farmer Accuses Canadian Bank of Illegally Closing His Account

Akeem Gardner is a licensed hemp farmer near Orangeville, Ontario. Gardner said that his account at the TD Bank was frozen after the bank accused him of illegal activities based on his outward appearance and other false accusations. He further said that when he was dressed in business attire, the bank never flagged him, but all this changed when he tried to transfer money to a merchant three weeks ago. In an interview with BBC, Gardener, who is a 6’4 black man, was dressed in a hoodie and a toque. He adds that people from minority groups come across these…

WednesdayOct 30, 2019 4:00 pm

Hemp Breeders Now Have More Options to Protect Their Proprietary Genetics

Contrary to popular belief, cannabis doesn't just grow like a weed. A lot of effort has to be put into it from planting to harvest. However, even before the farmers get their hands on hemp seeds, someone has to breed hemp them so that they are suitable for cultivation. The Farm Bill of 2018 did more than legalize the cultivation, handling, and sale of hemp and hemp products. The legislation introduced options for these hemp breeders, the protection of the proprietary genetics of their seeds, and legal recourse for violated patents. CBD has, over the years, proven its effectiveness against…

WednesdayOct 30, 2019 11:19 am

VPR Brands LP (VPRB) Among Industry Players Awaiting Final USDA Hemp Rules

VPRB among key players anticipating United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) final draft rules on industrial hemp USDA’s Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky noted the regulations’ release to be expected within weeks, ahead of 2020 planting season Interim rules drafted include input from myriad voices; intend to relieve burden on producers, stakeholders VPR Brands LP (OTCQB: VPRB), a multi-vertical tiered technology holding company in the cannabis space including vaping, joins other hemp industry players in their anticipation of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) release of an interim final rule for its Hemp Program. This announcement is timed in advance…

WednesdayOct 30, 2019 9:00 am

Illinois Hemp Farmer Shares Experience of Going Back to Farming Basics

It is the middle of the hemp harvest season, and farmers from Warren County, among them Andy Huston, the founder of American Hemp Research, are just beginning the harvesting process. He is one of the first farmers to grow hemp legally in Illinois and he shared what the journey has been like. Huston said that farmers in Warren County are harvesting hemp manually, and it is hard work; he says it seems they have gone back several decades. The Industrial Hemp Act, which legalized the growth of hemp in Illinois, was signed back in August 2018 by the former Illinois…

TuesdayOct 29, 2019 4:00 pm

Hemp Seizures Continue Despite 2018 Farm Bill

Innovative Nutraceuticals, a California-based CBD manufacturer, is claiming that the federal government seized raw hemp that the company had imported from Spain. In its claim, the company says that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency seized a shipment of raw hemp headed to its Lake Elsinore facility for extraction. In December last year, Congress passed the Farm Bill, which removed all hemp parts from the Controlled Substances Act. This, in effect, made the cultivation, handling, and sale of industrial hemp legal. Innovative Nutraceuticals says that the federal government is in clear violation of this bill. "These are violations of…

TuesdayOct 29, 2019 9:00 am

North Carolina Senate Reaches Compromise on Hemp Law

A deal was struck on Thursday by the House and Senate negotiators to criminalize smokable hemp by June 2020. And, as the General Assembly prepares for a temporary close, the Senate has broken the impasse on one of the weightier legislations waiting to be passed. In North Carolina, hemp is a developing economic crop, and it can be used in several products. However, smokable hemp rapidly turned out to be the primary source of profits for the hemp farmers because patients preferred it for the CBD compound as well as its medicinal effect. Since the plant structure and smell resembles…

MondayOct 28, 2019 4:00 pm

Five Challenges Standing in the Way of US Hemp Farmers

Hemp is quite useful. The plant itself can be used as an alternative to materials like plastics and fossil fuels, and one of its main active components, CBD, has been found to have almost Godlike healing properties. When the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp, farmers were finally able to take advantage of the plant and cash in like never before. However, as they harvest their first batch a year later, they have discovered that things aren't as rosy as they thought it would be. How so? The first harvest has been disappointing. Farmers were quick to…

MondayOct 28, 2019 9:00 am

University of Georgia Hemp Trials Show Promise

The future of hemp in Georgia begins at University Georgia where there are several dozens of plants ready for harvesting. The crops, planted on a one-third acre, are now sprouting fuzzy flowers, which are used to make the CBD oil used for treating conditions such as anxiety and insomnia. The university horticulturist Tim Cooling is growing the crop as a test crop for farmers in Georgia planning to grow hemp next year. This spring, the lawmakers voted for in-house hemp production. At the moment, Georgia is importing all CBD products. In his research, Cooling is trying to find the best…