Establishment of a Domestic Hemp Production Program

The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is extending the comment period due date for an interim final rule published on October 31, 2019, by an additional thirty (30) days from December 30, 2019 to January 29, 2020. The interim final rule establishes a domestic hemp production program pursuant to the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. The rule outlines provisions for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve plans submitted by States and Indian Tribes for the domestic production of hemp. It also establishes a Federal plan for producers in States or territories of Indian Tribes that do not have their own USDA-approved plan. The program includes provisions for maintaining information on the land where hemp is produced, testing the levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, disposing of plants not meeting necessary requirements, licensing requirements, and ensuring compliance with the requirements of the new part.