The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has outlined how states and tribes can submit plans that allow producers to cultivate hemp in those areas. From a class I substance to an agricultural product, growing, processing and possessing hemp is now federally legal. However, the lack of a well-defined regulatory framework is a major obstacle to limiting energy use and redefining cultivation practices. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) oversees a list of more than 800 chemical compounds that is updated annually.
One of the main challenges to creating a significant change in the way we grow cannabis is the lack of information. While the federal legalization of cannabis could solve many of these problems, the Safe Banking Act represents a gradual change with bipartisan support that could help to legitimize and expand the cannabis industry. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 reinforced federal policies that virtually banned industrial hemp production during the war on drugs. This will help the USDA develop more accurate estimates of the amount of hemp planted and cultivated in the United States.
Even if a researcher manages to overcome all regulatory obstacles, they are likely to have trouble obtaining cannabis products legally. The Department is accepting applications from individuals or companies interested in growing hemp in New York State. To meet federal and state requirements, as well as consumer demand, producers have developed methods to remove THC from their hemp extracts. It is true that section 12619 of the Agricultural Act removes hemp-derived products from their Schedule I status under the Controlled Substances Act, but the legislation does not legalize CBD in general.
Those who wish to grow or sell hemp seeds must apply to the Department for a hemp license. The independent bill would prevent federal banking regulators from canceling or limiting the insurance of deposits or shares of a financial institution to do business with a cannabis company. Third, the law outlines actions that are considered violations of federal hemp law (including activities such as growing without a license or producing cannabis with more than 0.3 percent THC). The Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees hemp cultivation as the responsible federal regulatory agency.
