Hemp farmers and processors in New York want their Governor, Andrew Cuomo to issue new directions from a 2019 bill that will help regulate hemp extracts sales. They want Cuomo to do this before October 31 when the pilot provisions of the 2014 farm bill will expire.
The 2019 bill that Cuomo signed into law would manage products infused with CBD such as salves, tinctures, and lotions. However, the law was not reported not to have covered anything on CBD in foods and beverages.
Statistics show that New York has about 700 farmers growing and producing hemp in thousands of pounds during this fall season. The hemp is then used by around 100 processing facilities in the state.
Allan Grandelman, a hemp cultivator and producer in Cortland and doubles as the president of New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association, recently stated that it would be disastrous if the hemp farmers in New York will sit on thousands of pounds of hemp. He further recommended that the rules should be issued right now. This action would give a 60 days period in which one can make comments or applications.
During the last month, the state of New York decided not to develop or submit their plan on the regulation of hemp to the state to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Thus, the USDA will handle the regulation of hemp production in New York. The USDA’s new responsibility will begin after the national rule has taken effect on November 1.
Without the guidelines signed in 2019 by Gov. Cuomo, there are worries among the hemp growers and producers in the state that their operations will be moved to an uncertain territory.
