January 25, 2021
WASHINGTON January 22, 2021 In a demonstration on how Hemp is America’s next natural resource, the National Hemp Association has produced and submitted to the White House, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, an action plan detailing how hemp can be incorporated into the major climate initiatives identified by the Biden Administration.
Hemp became a legal commodity crop through the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 which was contained within the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. Hemp, which had been absent in the American landscape for more than 85 years, is now seen as one of the most promising sustainable commodity crops; it not only consumes three times more CO2 than any other crop on the planet, it is used in a multitude of products including lightweight auto components, bio-plastics, housing and commercial buildings, fuel cells for electric vehicles, paper, textiles, food, cosmetics and nutraceuticals. As the world tu
USDA “is in the final stages of rulemaking” for the domestic production of hemp, an agency spokesperson said Tuesday.
A final rule would supplant an interim final rule (IFR) adopted in 2019 that drew myriad concerns from the hemp industry and other stakeholders.
The IFR outlined provisions for USDA to approve plans submitted by states and Indian tribes for domestic hemp production. It also established a federal plan for producers in states or territories of Indian tribes that do not have their own USDA-approved plan.
“It is USDA’s intention to have the [final] rule in effect to accommodate the 2021 planting season,” an agency spokesperson told Natural Products Insider in an emailed statement.