How to Get a Credit Union Account for Your Hemp Business

Commercial marijuana activity remains a federal crime,  and the Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) generally prohibits financial institutions from accepting marijuana-generated dollars. Financial institutions that work with marijuana businesses must conduct due diligence to ensure that marijuana businesses are complying with state law. That includes regularly submitting Suspicious Activity Reports (“SARs”) to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). Regulated commercial hemp activity is not a federal crime, but hemp’s close proximity to marijuana makes it a generally high-risk endeavor for financial institutions who generally don’t have a high risk tolerance to begin with. That has made it very difficult for many hemp and hemp-derived CBD (“Hemp-CBD”) businesses to access bank accounts. That is changing.

On August 19, the National Credit Union Administration (“NCUA”) released Interim Guidance on Serving Hemp Businesses. The Guidance lays out what credit unions need to incorporate into their Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) and Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) compliance programs in order to work with hemp businesses.

First, credit unions need to maintain appropriate due diligence procedures for hemp-related accounts and comply with BSA and AML requirements to file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) for any activity that appears to involve potential money laundering or illegal or suspicious activity. It is the NCUA’s understanding that SARs are not required to be filed for the activity of hemp-related businesses operating lawfully, provided the activity is not unusual for that business. Credit unions need to remain alert to any indication an account owner is involved in illicit activity or engaging in activity that is unusual for the business.

Second, if a credit union serves hemp-related businesses lawfully operating under the 2014 Farm Bill pilot provisions, it is essential the credit union knows the state’s laws, regulations, and agreements under which each member that is a hemp-related business operates. For example, a credit union needs to know how to verify the member is part of the pilot program. Credit unions also need to know how to adapt their ongoing due diligence and reporting approaches to any risks specific to participants in the pilot program.

Third, when deciding whether to serve hemp-related businesses that may already be able to operate lawfully–those not dependent on the forthcoming USDA regulations and guidelines for hemp production–the credit union needs to first be familiar with any other federal and state laws and regulations that prohibit, restrict, or otherwise govern these businesses and their activity.  For example, a credit union needs to know if the business and the product(s) is lawful under federal and state law, and any relevant restrictions or requirements under which the business must operate. For example, certain hemp-derived products may now or in the future be regulated by state health departments and/or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

NCUA’s guidance is written for credit unions but these guidelines are important for hemp businesses because it gives insight into what credit unions are going to need from hemp businesses. Below are some questions any hemp business should be prepared to answer when seeking an account with a credit union.

Where was the hemp grown? For cultivators, this question should be easy as they are the ones growing hemp and can easily provide a credit union a copy of the license or permit provided by a state department of agriculture that authorizes the production of hemp under the 2014 Farm Bill, which currently governs domestic hemp cultivation, or the 2018 Farm Bill which will govern cultivation after the USDA starts approving state hemp plans. Companies that are manufacturing products that contain hemp or selling finished Hemp-CBD products, this may present more of a challenge if they haven’t been closely tracking the source of their hemp. Manufacturers and distributors should have copies on file of every hemp cultivator who grew hemp that is contained in their products and should be prepared to explain to a credit union how they keep track of this information.

Who is buying hemp? According to the Guidance, the NCUA does not believe that credit unions are required to submit SARs when working with hemp businesses, but they are still mandated to submit SARs for suspicious activity. That means the credit union is going to watch a hemp business’ account activity closely. If a hemp business is receiving payments from a suspicious account, that will raise red flags. Also, most states that allow for hemp cultivation do not allow the direct sale of raw hemp to unlicensed individuals. Some states issue processing, manufacturing, or wholesaling licenses. Hemp cultivators should be prepared to explain who is buying their hemp and should provide a credit union copies of the license or permits of their buyers, if applicable. Cultivators should also be prepared to explain how they transport hemp to buyers, especially if raw hemp is moving across state lines as many states have specific regulations on the topic. If a state doesn’t require a license to process or manufacture hemp, hemp cultivators should be prepared to explain that as well.

What products are you selling, where are you selling them, and how are they marketed? Lets cut to the chase: much of the interest in hemp is due to Hemp-CBD and the legality of Hemp-CBD varies widely from state-to-state and that the Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) position is that Hemp-CBD cannot be added to food, dietary supplements, or unapproved drugs. NCUA indicated that credit unions must be aware of restrictions and regulations under other state and federal law. This question is going to be a major focus for distributors of Hemp-CBD products, but hemp manufacturers or cultivators should be prepared to answer this as well if they are selling directly to consumers or know that they are in the production chain of Hemp-CBD products. Credit unions are going to look out for Hemp-CBD in foods and dietary supplements, as the FDA has clearly stated that Hemp-CBD may not be legally added to these products. The credit union will also want to see marketing materials to watch out for medical claims as such claims will cause the FDA to categorize a product as an unapproved drug. The FDA’s position on Hemp-CBD in cosmetics and smokable hemp is not as hostile but some states have enacted laws or regulations prohibiting smokable hemp. States also differ widely on how they treat Hemp-CBD, generally including: what types of products are prohibited, standards for THC testing, requirements for labeling and packaging, manufacturing standards, and whether products must be registered in a given state, just to name a few examples. Hemp businesses should be prepared to explain how they are complying with regulations in each state where they do business.

How are you monitoring regulatory changes? With the ever-changing laws and regulations, hemp businesses should expect to discuss the efforts they make to stay up-to-date on law and policy regarding hemp. A credit union is going to want to know that its hemp clients are well informed and carefully tracking the industry with procedures in place to comply with new regulations.

The above questions are not a comprehensive checklist, but if you are prepared to answer each in detail, you’ll be in a good position when it comes time to meet with your local credit union. If not, contact our Hemp-CBD attorneys to help get your business on track.