Uncategorized Archives - Page 66 of 221

ThursdayFeb 27, 2020 9:00 am

USDA Approves Wyoming’s Hemp Plan

The 2018 Farm Bill introduced what some say will be the new era of American agriculture. The legislation decriminalized hemp after decades of prohibition, giving farmers across the country the go-ahead to cultivate the crop. States and tribes interested in growing hemp were instructed to create their hemp programs and submit those plans to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for approval. The bill defined hemp as cannabis sativa L. with less than 0.3% THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol). It's the chemical that creates marijuana's psychoactive high. In line with federal law, the USDA recently approved Wyoming's industrial hemp growing regulations, putting…

WednesdayFeb 26, 2020 4:00 pm

Virginia Lawmakers OK Smokable Hemp for Adults

On Monday, Virginia legislators approved the use smokable hemp within the state, even though they said that they do not understand why a person would want to smoke hemp. Hemp is legal under federal law, but Rep. Danny Marshall said that he wanted to clear up any confusion surrounding smokable hemp. Although hemp is similar to marijuana in terms of smell and appearance, their only difference is in THC concentration. Hemp contains minute traces of THC, which makes it non-psychoactive, while cannabis is psychoactive. THC induces the high effect. Marshall introduced the bill on smokable hemp to make it clear…

WednesdayFeb 26, 2020 9:00 am

Illinois Farmer Sues Hemp Dryer for Burnt Biomass

Last year, thousands of pounds of hemp crop went up in flames while at an Illinois farm which was hired by a Wisconsin hemp grower to dry the crop. According to the lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin grower, the fire started on the morning of Thanksgiving. The Chicago federal court lawsuit claims that an ember from the industrial dryer caused the hemp to catch fire, which eventually destroyed nearly 65,000 wet pounds of biomass. According to the complaint, Lake County Growers delivered to Moest Holdings about 84,000 pounds of wet hemp in October. Moest was hired to dry the hemp…

TuesdayFeb 25, 2020 4:00 pm

USDA Praises Hemp Industry Growth But Warns About Challenges

The U.S. hemp industry has seen massive growth since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp. Bolstered by the demand for hemp-derived CBD, the sector is already worth millions just a year after federal legalization, and experts predict it may hit $20 billion in 2024. However, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the nascent industry hasn't yet settled into a rhythm. Titled 'Economic Viability of Industrial Hemp in the United States: A Review of State Pilot Programs,' the report explored the economic viability of the growing American hemp industry after decades…

TuesdayFeb 25, 2020 9:00 am

How the Coronavirus Outbreak in China Could Help the US Hemp Industry

The Coronavirus broke out in Wuhan City, Hubei Province in China in December 2019. As of 23 February, there were 78,987 cases that had been confirmed, and roughly 31,000 of them were from China. The outbreak has put the entire world on alert, with most governments putting screening processes in place to prevent the disease from entering their borders. China, on the other hand, has effectively gone into a shutdown mode, with numerous regions unable to conduct proper business due to the virus shutdown. While the slowdown in business may wreak havoc on the Chinese economy if it happens for…

MondayFeb 24, 2020 4:00 pm

Louisiana Starts Licensing Hemp Growers and Processors

Louisiana agriculture officials have started issuing the first hemp production licenses to farmers, processors, and transporters. Additionally, hemp businesses operating from gas stations or pharmacies have been given the green light to sell products containing CBD within the state. Louisiana’s hemp production plan was approved by the USDA, and hemp handlers can now apply since the state has launched the application process. On Thursday, agriculture officials said that the state of Louisiana had finalized its hemp rules and that it has started issuing permits for industrial hemp cultivation, processing, and transportation. The legislation to create Louisiana’s first industrial hemp program…

MondayFeb 24, 2020 9:00 am

Hemp Tent Draws Crowds at World Ag Expo

The World Agriculture Expo is the largest annual outdoor agriculture exposition, with over 1,450 exhibitions and 100,000 plus attendees every year. This year, hemp fever was high. Although the crop has been legal for a little more than a year and the hemp industry is still in its infancy, the cash crop was big during the 2020 Ag Expo. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp and its extracts after decades of prohibition, and the industry blew up soon after. Hemp has a plethora of uses, ranging from textiles and construction to bioplastics and food. Within a year, the sector…

FridayFeb 21, 2020 4:00 pm

Proposed Georgia Law to Allow Police to Arrest People for Hemp and Marijuana Possession

On Tuesday, a bill that passed a Georgia House committee would give police in the state the power to arrest people found possessing small amounts of green leafy substances, even when they cannot differentiate if it is legal hemp or illegal marijuana. The legislation would consider it a crime to transport hemp plants without documents showing that the hemp was produced under a farming or processing license. The violators would be given the same punishment as that of misdemeanor marijuana crimes, such as a year in jail or a fine of $1,000. The bill was approved through a voice vote…

FridayFeb 21, 2020 9:00 am

A Summary of States’ Comments About the Federal Hemp Rules

The USDA comment period on the hemp IFR (interim final rule) is up and the department received more than 3,000 comments from farmers, companies, hemp industry associations, and state agriculture departments. We picked the common concerns that characterized the comments submitted. The Interim Final Rule requires annual THC sampling of all hemp crop locations Most of the states recommend for the sampling to be random, and risk-based to reduce administrative burdens, instead of comprehensively testing all sites. For instance, Kentucky has identified several seeds that test below 0.3% and others whose THC fluctuates. They believe that the latter should be…

ThursdayFeb 20, 2020 4:00 pm

A Closer Look at What it Takes to Make Denim from Hemp

Saying hemp has many uses is an understatement. Said to have thousands of applications, hemp is incredibly versatile, and it works as an alternative in numerous industries. From nutrition and textiles to bioplastics and construction, there isn't much hemp can't do. On top of that, the plant produces cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical that's been found to have a plethora of medical applications. One of hemp's most interesting applications is in the textile industry. Even though most of the focus right now is on hemp-derived CBD, hemp lends itself pretty well to the textile sector, as evidenced by the numerous hemp-based…