For some time, North Carolina's hemp farmers and growers have questioned the fate of our hemp cultivation pilot program, authorized and adopted under the Agricultural Act of 2014 ("2014 Farm Bill"), and how the eventual end...more
The United States government federally decriminalized hemp on December 20, 2018, making hemp biomass—the raw, harvested agricultural plant—a commodity like any other crop, such as corn, wheat, or soybeans. The transition of...more
Several members of our Hemp Law team attended the Industrial Hemp Summit in late February.
The annual event is typically held in person at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Virginia. This year,...more
The last month has been difficult for everyone, to say the least.
The hemp industry as a whole has faced tremendous economic pressures and worries for months. Businesses continue to operate under regulatory uncertainty...more
Products containing hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") have become incredibly popular in the United States, with new product brands entering the market seemingly every day.
Consumer demand and public interest in those products...more
12/11/2019
/ Advertising ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Class Action ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FDA Warning Letters ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Health Claims ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Marketing ,
Popular
On October 31, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA") published its Interim Final Rule establishing the nation's Domestic Hemp Production Program, and providing regulations on testing, sampling, and the...more
This marks the second year that the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce has hosted a formal business conference dedicated to Agribusiness in North Carolina and beyond.
We were proud and privileged to participate in both....more
The hemp and cannabidiol ("CBD") industries today face substantial uncertainty, and they lack clear Federal rules, regulations, and guidance within which governments and businesses can safely operate.
That dearth of...more
9/18/2019
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Criminal Liability ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Department of Agriculture ,
Farm Bill ,
Hemp ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses
The unavailability of crop insurance for hemp has long been a source of frustration and risk for growers in North Carolina, especially in the wake of recent disaster events like Hurricane Florence....more
Hemp and its derivatives – including hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") – were previously classified as Schedule I controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act of 1972 ("CSA").
That changed in December 2018,...more
7/23/2019
/ Agribusiness ,
Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Farm Bill ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Law Enforcement ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Probable Cause ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
State and Local Government
Hemp was decriminalized with the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, a.k.a. the "2018 Farm Bill."
While the 2018 Farm Bill decriminalized hemp and distinguished it from marijuana, it did not resolve all...more
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently changed its policy on hemp-derived products.
Products and medications that contain lawfully produced hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) are now permitted on flights....more
6/7/2019
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Farm Bill ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Public Comment ,
Public Hearing ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
USDA
This week, we attended the Industrial Hemp Summit in Danville, VA.
The quality of the event, the information shared, and the people in attendance were incredible. Although the topics of discussion and educational materials...more
2/28/2019
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Crop Insurance ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Farm Bill ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Regulatory Oversight
The Agriculture Act of 2018 legalized hemp and hemp-derived cannabidiol, or "CBD," on the Federal level by removing both substances from the definition of "marijuana" under the Controlled Substances Act of 1972.
But, that...more
So you brew beer? Cool.
So you want to brew a beer with cannabidiol? Even cooler. Don’t know what cannabidiol is? That's ok. You probably know it as "CBD" – the highly popular cannabinoid that was recently legalized by...more
2/5/2019
/ Breweries ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Food Labeling ,
Food Safety ,
Hemp ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Marijuana-Infused Edibles ,
Nutrition Facts Labels ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Trademarks ,
TTB ,
Wine & Alcohol
Hemp has wide commercial application and appeal with a viable market for nearly every part of the plant, from the seeds, to the roots, to the flower.
And with the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the...more
On Thursday, December 20, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 ("Farm Bill").
"Farm bills" are adopted by Congress from time to time to reauthorize and modify USDA programs that...more
As we have written before, the legal world of cannabis-derived products is dynamic and uncertain.
The current uncertain environment was born in the wake of legalization for medical or recreational marijuana in a handful of...more
The Legal Commercialization of Industrial Hemp in North Carolina -
North Carolina is an agricultural power house. The state's farmers contribute over $80 billion to the economy every year and grow all sorts of...more