Non-partisan Bill Calls on FDA to Regulate Hemp CBD Foods

By Nina Zdinjak

Since hemp and its derivatives were declared federally legal under the 2019 Farm Bill, the industry has been waiting for clear rules and regulations regarding food and beverages infused with CBD from hemp.

The wait seemed endless, but now some optimism has sprung up in the form of a new bill tabled Thursday by a group of bipartisan House MPs. The move requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate foods and beverages containing CBD made from hemp to facilitate their interstate trade, Marijuana Moment reported.

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The “CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act,” sponsored by Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Angie Craig (D-MN) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), aims to help keep the ongoing Problem Solving Hemp stakeholders have asked FDA for clarification.

“CBD products are growing in popularity, but the lack of state regulation has put consumers at risk and has led companies to seek clarity,” Rice said in a press release. “The bipartisan CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act will create the clear regulatory framework needed to maintain stability for the business and ensure unsafe products stay off the shelves.”

The bill calls on the FDA to provide clear guidance and a public comment deadline on the maximum amount of hemp-derived CBD that can be added to food or beverages per serving, as well as labeling and packaging requirements, and other issues.

With interest in CBD products booming, the lack of FDA rules puts the industry in an unregulated and therefore unsafe position.

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“As a result, adulterated or unsafe products are available that are harmful to consumer health, and companies lack clarity,” said Griffith. “The CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act would require the FDA to address the issue and ensure more safety in the CBD market.”

USDA Amends Hemp Policy To Improve Insurance Coverage For Manufacturers

This week, the hemp industry welcomed another major step when the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday that it was working on evolving insurance policies for hemp companies to make them more flexible about stakeholder feedback, Marijuana Moment wrote.

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The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) stressed that it will ensure that hemp producers no longer have to deliver their crops “with no economic value for insurability”. The policy specifies exactly how “the amount of insurable acreage is determined if the processing contract provides for both acreage and production volume”.

RELATED: Smokable Hemp and CBD Infused Food and Beverage Finally Legal in California

“This change was made in the policy to ensure producers know how their insurable area is determined for these contracts,” the agency said in a press release.

“[hemp is] an emerging crop, and we are working with hemp producers to offer insurance options that make sense for producers and insurance providers, ”said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “RMA has worked to expand and refine our offerings to be responsive and dynamic. “

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.