Vermont to conduct ‘contactless’ inspections of hemp operators during COVID

Vermont will be conducting contactless inspections of hemp operators to limit person-to-person contact during the pandemic.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets says the inspections will begin with a phone call, followed by an email and an online form to gather information about number of harvested lots, yields, and results of contaminant testing, among other things.

Hemp program registrants must submit certificates of analysis and other information online within 10 days of receiving the inspection form.

The state agency says the new inspections format is a way “to stay engaged with the community, collect important industry data, gauge registrant’s knowledge of the Vermont Hemp Rules and allows the program to offer compliance assistance, as necessary.”

Vermont isn’t changing its sampling protocols, which allow growers to take their own hemp samples to send for testing. The state’s agriculture agency says if a crop’s THC level exceeds the 0.3% limit, the grower must notify officials of the test results and appropriate action will be taken.