Mexican lawmakers are a step closer to legalizing marijuana and hemp. Three separate Senate panels approved legislation that would legalize all forms of cannabis, sending the measure to the full Senate. It would still require a vote in another chamber after that. Although there’s still steps to go, the bill is expected to pass because […]
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Ohio begins taking hemp-growing applications
Ohio farmers began applying for three-year permits Tuesday to start growing hemp in the state this year. Ohio was among the first three states in the country in December to have the U.S. Department of Agriculture approve their rules for growing and processing hemp. The Ohio Farm Bureau predicts the plant will become the state’s third-largest crop, […]
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2 Canadian cannabis production companies settle legal dispute
Two Canadian companies that formed a joint venture to sell hemp and marijuana have settled a legal dispute over which owned more of the business they created. Village Farms International and Emerald Health Therapeutics on Tuesday announced the settlement, which stipulates that Village Farms will own 57.4 % of Pure Sunfarms Corp., the venture they […]
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CBD retail giant to focus on marijuana dispensaries as it sells part of its business
An Ohio-based cannabis retailer that owns the nation’s largest chain of CBD retail kiosks in malls is selling most of that business to focus on running marijuana dispensaries instead. Green Growth Brands’ announcement last week caps a tumultuous year for the company, which laid off 50 workers in September from its Columbus headquarters. GGB also […]
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Canada forming panel to study CBD and other cannabis ‘health products’
Canada’s public health agency is putting together its committee to study the potential health benefits of products containing cannabis. Health Canada said Thursday that it will begin taking nominations for a panel of experts who “will provide independent scientific and clinical advice to support the Department’s consideration of appropriate safety, efficacy and quality standards for health […]
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Oregon CBD company lays off dozens of workers, blames FDA uncertainty
Dozens of employees have been laid off from an Oregon-based CBD company that launched less than five months ago. Between 30 and 40 workers lost their jobs at Sentia Wellness, sources told The Oregonian. Sentia Wellness did not release an exact number. Located in Portland, Sentia Wellness employed 150 workers and had raised $91 million to start, […]
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Virginia lawmakers OK bill allowing smokable hemp for anyone 21 and older
Virginia lawmakers have sent Gov. Ralph Northam a proposal allowing people 21 and older to smoke hemp. The bill, sponsored by Republican Delegate Danny Marshall, passed both chambers of the Legislature on Monday. Growing and cultivating hemp is legal under federal law, and farmers in Marshall’s district have embraced the new crop. But the Danville […]
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Colorado CBD company hires ex-FDA chemist to help develop new products
Colorado CBD maker Veritas Farms hired a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official to help the company research and develop new products. Daniel Connors was an analytical chemist for the FDA, where he worked to maintain the safety of the nation’s food and medical supply, Veritas said in a news release Tuesday. His work at […]
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Georgia-Pacific, Canadian firm join to produce nonwoven hemp products
Georgia-Pacific, a giant in the paper-manufacturing industry, is partnering with a Canadian firm that uses hemp-based fibers for a variety of nonwoven products. Victoria, British Columbia-based Bast Fibre Technologies announced the agreement with Georgia-Pacific on Tuesday. BFT makes baby wipes and other personal-care fiber products. The company said the agreement involves a suite of patents for […]
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Wisconsin hemp grower sues Illinois contractor, says product was burned
A Wisconsin-based hemp grower is suing an Illinois farm it hired to dry 84,000 pounds of the crop, only to have most of the product burn during the drying process, a federal lawsuit alleges. Oconomowoc-based Lake County Growers said it hired Winslow, Illinois-headquartered Moest Holdings in October to dry the hemp with an industrial dryer. Lake […]
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Washington state, Wyoming hemp oversight plans OK’d by feds
Washington state and Wyoming are the latest states to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to run their own hemp oversight. The USDA also approved three American Indian Tribes: The Otoe Missouria Tribe. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The Santee Sioux Nation. Under the 2018 Farm Bill, states and tribes are permitted to oversee […]
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Former Burt’s Bees executive joins NC-based CBD company
Former Clorox and Burt’s Bees executive Phoebe Leppla is joining Open Book Extracts to lead the company’s product development efforts. Leppla previously led research and development teams at Burt’s Bees, and she spent a decade at The Clorox Co. before that. At Clorox, she specialized in “product innovation in cleaning, wellness, beauty and personal care,” […]
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