On Oct. 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program as mandated by the 2018 Farm Bill, allowing federally approved hemp to be grown under clear guidelines and making hemp farmers eligible for many agricultural programs.
Hemp genetics company HGH Seed Inc. welcomes the introduction of a consistent regulatory framework for hemp production across the United States.
Unlike other states, compliance has always been tightly regulated in Colorado, where laws dictating total THC levels and rigorous compliance testing has been part of hemp producers’ long-standing standard operating procedures.
The much-needed USDA interim final rules provide clear legal guidelines from which hemp farmers can better operate.
Bodhi Urban, founder and CEO of HGH, said, “We are happy to see that the USDA is leaving the seed industry open, although this will require that farmers be even more discerning when choosing genetics partners. Clarifications around transportation and shipment of hemp across state lines will reduce existing anxiety and complexity for our farmers as well.”
In the interim final rules, total THC is mandated, regardless of testing method, to account for conversion of THCA into THC. This heightens the importance of compliance considerations across not only genetics selection, but growing environment and testing methods as well. Urban said, “Right now, we see the USDA interim final rules significantly impacting the smokable market. We encourage individuals to provide relevant feedback to the USDA in the next 60 days before final rules are published. It’s up to all of us to make sure we support the industry and farmers of the future.”
Since the Farm Bill passed, HGH Seed has been a partner for compliant hemp seeds and seed starts nationwide.
HGH has a thorough history of compliant crops across many different areas of the country. Through production partners, the company has successfully grown compliant hemp in a variety of soils, across diverse climates, producing not only viable seeds for distribution, but also curating them for optimal performance in the field. The company will continue to share relevant legal information with loyal customers and hemp industry insiders who strive to make hemp an accessible, successful crop around the globe.
As the 2020 season approaches, farmers can expect exciting announcements for HGH’s exclusive collection of CBD and new CBG-rich varietals, as well as release of a comprehensive 2020 catalog. As always, HGH Seed strives to develop hemp seed genetics to meet the needs of farmers both nationally and worldwide.
When it comes to sourcing the best seed, HGH’s superior genetics meet both past and current standards and are crafted to produce.
Full provisions of the interim final rule are available here. For information on available USDA programs for hemp farmers, visit farmers.gov/hemp.
