{"id":49348,"date":"2021-08-10T09:39:45","date_gmt":"2021-08-10T17:39:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2021\/08\/10\/colorado-hemp-plan-wins-approval-from-federal-government-and-willie-nelson\/"},"modified":"2021-08-10T13:45:46","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T21:45:46","slug":"colorado-hemp-plan-wins-approval-from-federal-government-and-willie-nelson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2021\/08\/10\/colorado-hemp-plan-wins-approval-from-federal-government-and-willie-nelson\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado Hemp Plan Wins Approval From Federal Government (And Willie Nelson)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Regulators at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have given the go-ahead to Colorado\u2019s hemp management plan, which will govern the state\u2019s sizable industry for the crop and ensure that businesses there continue to operate in compliance with federal law.<\/p>\n

Gov. Jared Polis (D) and state Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg announced the plan\u2019s approval at a media event held at a hemp farm on Tuesday morning. \u201cColorado is the undisputed leader in the cannabis industry, and our hemp plan is a model for the country,\u201d the governor boasted in a statement, which also included praise from musician and cannabis fan Willie Nelson.<\/p>\n

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Greenberg said the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) plan \u201cgives the greatest flexibility to Colorado\u2019s hemp producers while ensuring requirements are in place in accordance with federal standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this new plan in place, we are creating a huge number of new opportunities to further hemp production and uses here in Colorado, from paper to plastic substitutes, fabric, hempcrete, detergents, soaps, insulation, biofuel and so much more,\u201d she said. \u201cThis plan approval will pave the way for a greater and more diverse hemp industry here in Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n

Legal hemp cultivation has been happening in Colorado since 2014, when the state launched an early hemp pilot program under a provision in that year\u2019s federal Farm Bill. Four years later, the 2018 Farm Bill more broadly federally legalized hemp but required that states send individual regulatory plans to USDA for approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was really a critical piece,\u201d Polis said at Tuesday\u2019s press event Tuesday, \u201cand it allowed us to develop was was approved today: a new framework that meets the needs of Colorado farmers and producers, breaking down ridiculous barriers that got in the way and drove the cost up of hemp production.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Colorado<\/p>\n

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis \/ Colorado Department of Agriculture<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Colorado officials submitted their latest\u00a0hemp management plan<\/a> to USDA in June, following nearly a year and a half of interactions with the federal regulatory agency as it developed its final rule on hemp, released in January of this year<\/a>. Their feedback on early drafts of the regulations led to changes by the feds.<\/p>\n

When USDA issued the final rule, the agency noted in a footnote that feedback from Polis, Greenberg and other Colorado officials helped identify logistical challenges to widespread lab testing of hemp, which is forbidden from containing more than 0.3 percent THC. Under a draft rule, helped the agency set rules regarding testing hemp products for THC. Specifically, the Colorado leaders noted that a requirement to dispose of hemp that tested over the federal THC limit could cost the state $842.6 million.<\/p>\n

In response, USDA changed to proposed rules to allow hemp growers to attempt to remove the excess THC \u201cfrom non-compliant crops in order to stave off financial risk associated with the loss of investment in their hemp crop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe leaped into action and we submitted comments to the interim final rules two different times,\u201d Polis said on Tuesday. \u201cI\u2019m proud to say we were able to partner with the USDA across two different administrations to address our differences.\u201d<\/p>\n

The state\u2019s hemp program has also launched a certified seed program, diversified supply chains and is establishing a center to help direct research, outreach and educational efforts for the state\u2019s hemp industry.<\/p>\n

While many states and federally recognized Indian tribes have submitted their own hemp management plans, a number of states are still operating under the earlier pilot program, which has been repeatedly extended and requires less federal oversight than the new USDA-approved programs. That program, intended to be temporary, would be renewed again under pending legislation that has passed the House and is pending in the Senate<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Registered hemp cultivation in Colorado quickly picked up speed after the market launched in 2014. With the exception of a sharp decline between 2019 and 2020, the amount of space registered for indoor or outdoor hemp cultivation has consistently grown since the program began.<\/p>\n

\"CDA<\/p>\n

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis \/ Colorado Department of Agriculture<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The state\u2019s press release included a congratulatory statement from musician and outspoken marijuana fan Willie Nelson. \u201cColorado should be proud of leading the charge for the hemp industry,\u201d he said<\/a>. \u201cThere are many ways that this crop can benefit both small, family farmers and Americans in their everyday lives. From textiles and feed to fuel and plastics, hemp is the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud to report that we\u2019re well on our way, Willie,\u201d Polis replied at the event. \u201cWe boast some of the highest numbers in production in the country regarding plant counts\u201426,250 aces, 13 million square feet of indoor plants. And that\u2019s just how far we\u2019ve come without this plan in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Today we announced Colorado\u2019s State Hemp Management Plan \u2014 and it has the approval of the one and only @WillieNelson<\/a>! Colorado is the undisputed leader in the cannabis industry, and our hemp plan is a model for the country.<\/p>\n

Read more about it here: https:\/\/t.co\/uuJ0XGpR7o<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nlOfkkoS3N<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) August 10, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Colorado has also helped lead the way on legalizing adult-use cannabis. Officials last month announced the launch of a new office to provide economic support for the state\u2019s marijuana industry<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The agency, which was created as part of a bill signed into law in March, is being funded by cannabis tax revenue<\/a>. It will focus on creating \u201cnew economic development opportunities, local job creation, and community growth for the diverse population across Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polis had initially asked lawmakers back in January to create a new a new cannabis advancement program<\/a>\u00a0as part of his budget proposal.<\/p>\n

Beyond this\u00a0program, the state has worked to achieve equity and repair the harms of prohibition in other ways.<\/p>\n

For example, Polis signed a bill in May to\u00a0double the marijuana possession limit for adults<\/a>\u00a0in the state\u2014and he directed state law enforcement to identify people with prior convictions for the new limit who he may be able to pardon.<\/p>\n

The governor signed an executive order last year that\u00a0granted clemency to almost 3,000 people<\/a>\u00a0convicted of possessing one ounce or less of marijuana.<\/p>\n

\n

Wisconsin Lawmakers Unveil New Marijuana Legalization Bill\u2014At A Cannabis Shop In Illinois<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post Colorado Hemp Plan Wins Approval From Federal Government (And Willie Nelson)<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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\nRead More: Colorado Hemp Plan Wins Approval From Federal Government (And Willie Nelson)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Regulators at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have given the go-ahead to Colorado\u2019s hemp management plan, which will govern the state\u2019s sizable industry for the crop and ensure that businesses there continue to operate in compliance with federal law. Gov. Jared Polis (D) and state Agriculture Commissioner Kate GreenbergContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":49349,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49348"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49348"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49348\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49350,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49348\/revisions\/49350"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}