Farmers in Utah have begun growing hemp following the legalization of the crop late last year, including strains of the plant with names featuring a decidedly political twist. One varietal, Obama, is named for former President Barak Obama, who was in office when the 2014 Farm Bill that authorized... Read more
Washington’s Hemp Plan

On November 20th, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (“WSDA”) released the hemp cultivation plan (the “Plan”) that it intends to submit to the US Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) along with a corresponding set of hemp regulations (“Hemp Rules”). This post will provide an overview of Washington’s hemp plan. Recordkeeping, Violations, and Inspections The Plan…

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Litigation Update: JustCBD Files Motion to Dismiss Class Action Lawsuit

A couple of months ago I wrote a “Hemp/CBD litigation forecast.” (See here.) One topic of that post was the rise in class actions against Hemp-CBD companies and I noted the consumer class action complaint filed against JustCBD in the Southern District of Florida, Case No. 0:19-cv-62067-RS. The gravamen of the complaint is that JustCBD…

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Hemp-CBD Across State Lines: Minnesota

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”) legalized hemp by removing the crop and its derivatives from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and by providing a detailed framework for the cultivation of hemp. The 2018 Farm Bill gives the US Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) regulatory authority over hemp…

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Member Blog: Hemp and Marijuana Genetics – A Closer Look At The Differences
by George Mouratidis, Industrial Hemp Farms There are many ways to classify cannabis variants, but the most popular distinction is between hemp and marijuana. Although most of us take these classifications for granted, perhaps you’ve wondered if they are really legit? Put another way: are there real genetic and... Read more
The Risks of Infusing Hemp-CBD Topical Products with Essential Oils and Menthol

As we have previously discussed, the sale and marketing of hemp-infused cannabidiol (“Hemp-CBD”) cosmetics, such as salves, lotions and creams (collectively “Topicals”), present the lowest risk for businesses wishing to enter this booming industry. We have quite a few clients pursuing this path, from small-batch manufacturers to national retail outlets. Generally, a Topical may be…

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The New Rules of Hemp Video Available

On November 13th, attorneys Nathalie Bougenies and Daniel Shortt hosted an interactive webinar to address the new interim hemp rules released by the USDA last month. If you’re a regular follower of our blog, or a member of the industry, you may have been aware that these new regulations will require action on state, tribal…

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Hemp-CBD Across State Lines: Michigan

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”) legalized hemp by removing the crop and its derivatives from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and by providing a detailed framework for the cultivation of hemp. The 2018 Farm Bill gives the US Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) regulatory authority over hemp…

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How Will the USDA Hemp Rules Affect California?

In mid-October, California Governor Gavin Newsom approved a bill (SB-153) that dramatically changed California’s hemp cultivation laws. The bill was clearly intended to bring California closer into harmony with the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, in anticipation for the state’s ultimate submission of a statewide hemp production plan to the U.S. Department of Food and…

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Criminal History and Hemp Licensing Under the USDA Interim Hemp Rules

On October 31, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its interim final rules for the production of hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill. Our firm has provided a broad overview of the rules and written about the potential impact of the testing rules on the hemp industry. Today we address disqualifying criminal history for…

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