The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has said that countrywide hemp rules launched during the last days of Donald Trump’s authority aren’t on hold.
However, the agency will review all measures enacted by the outgoing administration like it does when there’s a new administration.
Matt Herrick, USDA spokesman said through an email that the department has no specific rules or programs currently on hold. However, it’s appropriate for the incoming administration to review the current programs and those implemented by the departing administration during the closing days of their tenure.
He didn’t explain whether hemp farmers concluding planting 2021 plans should expect the agriculture department to reopen the regulations for public comments.
The department had once re-opened them, however, some hemp advocates are hoping the Agriculture department will accept another round of response.
This is because the White House launched a memo on Wednesday ordering federal departments to consider an extra 30-day feedback period for regulations that have been concluded but not implemented. Hemp lies in that class; the regulations were launched on Tuesday but will be enacted during March.
The final hemp regulation from the outgoing administration was centred on public feedback from industry stakeholders and growers. It was released in 2019 and will be officially enacted on 22nd March.
Production regulations based on the 2014 Farm Bill will sunset during 31st December 2021, at that point, all tribal and state hemp production measures have to adhere to USDA’s final hemp creation rules.
Weeks ago, the USDA extended the hemp harvest window duration from fifteen to thirty days after testing.
According to the final regulation, the agriculture department asserts that since THC is high in hemp’s flower material, it’s more prudent to test the plant’s upper part rather than other sections. It also allows tribes and states to use a performance-based strategy for sampling.
