As requested by our Chief Legislative Strategist Courtney N. Moran, LL.M. this morning the USDA announced it is extending the public comment period for the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program interim final rule until January 29, 2020, to allow stakeholders additional time to provide feedback!
As currently written, the USDA Interim Final Rules (IFR) do not reflect legislative intent and put farmers directly at risk of being engaged in criminal activity. Full implementation of the IFR will lead to onerous regulation nation-wide that is more restrictive than most Pilot Programs established under the 2014 Farm Bill.
AgHS has launched the federal lobbying Campaign to align federal legislation and USDA rulemaking with the needs of the domestic hemp industry.
It is essential that the national industry comes together now
to address the serious concerns with the USDA IFR regulating commercial hemp production under the 2018 Farm Bill or
we may lose the protections we have achieved over the past five years.
We encourage all stakeholders to submit written comments on the interim final rule. Comments may be submitted directly through the Federal Register. Comments may also be submitted by mail to Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; or by fax at (202) 720-8938.
To learn more about the Campaign and to have AgHS assist you in submitting comments to USDA please contact us at courtney@agriculturalhempsolutions.com.