USDA Receives Hundreds of Comments on Hemp Interim Rule

Two weeks after opening a comment period on an interim final rule on hemp farming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received more than 600 comments. The rule set limits for the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can legally be produced by the crop, and farmers have reportedly told the agency that the limit is unmanageable. One issue is that the regulations do not acknowledge a difference between Delta-9 THC and THC-A, according to a former hemp farmer interviewed by Law360 who also reportedly said he had never seen a test result as low as the limit set by USDA. Another possible issue is that the crop must be tested by a laboratory registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration, which may reduce the number of qualified firms to a single laboratory. Comments on the interim final rule will be accepted until December 31.