USDA Postpones Enforcement of Mandatory Hemp Testi

USDA Postpones Enforcement of Mandatory Hemp Testing at DEA Laboratories

In a recent statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed that it had postponed the enforcement of a regulation that directed all hemp cultivators to test their crops at laboratories registered with the DEA.

The department explained that its decision was based on input from tribal and state governments as well as third-party marijuana testing facilities that had experienced delays in concluding the lab registration process.

Due to these setbacks, the department noted that it was concerned that there’d be insufficient approved hemp lab testing capacity for the coming cultivation season.

This is the third year that the department has postponed the enforcement of this policy as stipulated under the 2018 Farm Bill that federally legalized hemp. Under the extended timeline, the registration requirement will not be enforced until December 31, 2025.

However, cultivators will still be required to follow other testing regulations that ensure safety compliance for their products.

The decision was welcomed by stakeholders in the industry who have long criticized the requirement that hemp be tested for THC content at facilities registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Stakeholders argue that the limited capacity has resulted in bottlenecks, adding that labs not certified by the federal drug agency can carry out the tests just as effectively.

In other news, the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to support the hemp industry. It recently appointed industry stakeholders to a trade advisory committee focused on bolstering efforts to promote cannabis grown in the United States globally.

The National Industrial Hemp Council also received $745,000 to bolster efforts to promote the industry globally in emerging markets from the department. This comes after the department awarded the council $200,000 under a separate grant.

The recent grant round saw various entities get awarded during a risky time for the hemp industry.

Despite a report showing that the market had begun rebounding last year following substantial losses in 2022, the market still faces uncertainties as legislators in Congress continue to advance measures that would ban many hemp-based cannabinoid products. For instance, one spending legislation that advanced through committee would bring confusion to the industry as it gave no clarity on which products consumers would be allowed to purchase.

Despite the current conditions, a recent report found that the crop’s market is larger that all legal cannabis markets in America. The report also found that hemp sales equaled nationwide sales of craft beer.

Meanwhile, food safety workers in the agriculture department are encouraged to avoid marijuana products, including CBD. This comes after the agency noted an increase in positive THC tests. These evolving regulations (or lack thereof) gives operators like Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (OTC: SFWJ) plenty of hurdles since they aren’t sure what will happen next.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (OTC: SFWJ) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/SFWJ

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