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.