Yesterday, Thursday, 20 December, 2018, President Donald Trump Signed the 2018 Farm Bill, legalizing cultivation and sale of industrial hemp in the U.S.
The move signals the official nationwide legalization of industrial hemp—a moment long-awaited by the cannabis industry and will accelerate the hemp industry’s growth. This will be a game changer.
Earlier this year, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell inserted language from his Hemp Farming Act of 2018 into the Farm Bill to federally legalize the cultivation and sale of industrial hemp, which is defined as cannabis that contains less than 0.3-percent THC.
Congress passed the $867-billion agricultural legislation on December 12, effectively removing hemp from the list of controlled substances and allowing states to regulate its production, commerce and research with approval from the USDA.
“The 2018 Farm Bill is an 807-page document. Hemp is discussed only a few times throughout this document; however, the impact on the industry is epic,” said Dr. Jenelle Kim, co-founder and lead formulator at JBK Wellness Labs.
“Ultimately, the Farm Bill will end the era of hemp prohibition and would deem that hemp is an agricultural commodity and is removed from the Controlled Substances Act where it is no longer mistaken as a controlled substance, like marijuana.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration will no longer be able to interfere with the interstate commerce of hemp products. This move will open the doors for banks, merchant services, credit card companies, e-commerce sites and advertising platforms to do business with hemp companies.
“The Farm Bill is a monumental first step for the hemp industry and a big win for U.S. agriculture,” said Jonathan Vaught,
CEO and co-founder of Colorado-based biotech company Front Range Biosciences. “It allows farmers to legally grow hemp throughout the country, fueling job growth domestically and keeping the United States competitive in the global market. Allowing hemp production sets the stage for this fledgling industry to flourish as raw materials from hemp—oils, grain and fiber—can be used in a wide array of products like dietary supplements, super foods, clinically-approved drugs and fiber as a building material. The Farm Bill is also a major win for the cannabis industry as it further demonstrates the utility of cannabis as a crop.”
The cannabis industry now looks ahead to increased investment, research, cultivation and sales in a hemp market that Brightfield Group estimates will reach $22 billion by 2022.
“Business can be a great agent of social change,” said Patrick Rea, CEO and co-founder of Canopy Boulder, a seed-stage business accelerator and venture fund for the cannabis industry.
“This is an example of a highly in-demand market that needed the government to engage in order to unlock its potential. Time will tell how administrative agencies like the USDA and FDA will regulate hemp products, but we can expect heightened business and investor interest in the space.”
SHALAWAMBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peter Sinkamba
President
Donald Trump and Peter Sinkamba must be investigated, maybe they went to the same school
No Sinkamba is much more educated and civilised
What’s sikamba’s jubilation all about? Just the psyto sanitary conditions they will put up for you to export your much adowed cannabis , you will end up with green elephants. Remember trump is the chief trade protectionist, i don’t think he would put a Zambian farmer first before his own American farmer.
People who understands Sinkamba’s dreams are making it come true.
I pretty sure Zambian organic lubangula will be better than American flowers. Just like Zambian coffee is so good in American Starbucks.
I am surprised one blogger Nine Chale has not come out and stated that Trump has done so and so…the one s/he likes making comparisons with!!
And the point of this is? As if Zambia will benefit or stand to benefit. Hemp is primarily found in the Northern hemisphere and it is totally different from cannabis as a drug as the author wrongly tries to insinuate.
Hemp contains very low level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a chemical that makes people ‘high’ by messing with your brains. Please stop misleading people.
The Bible has already talked about the end of time. Those with eyes, have them opened:
Nonsense
What does your silly book say about slaves and slavery…end days have been there since your Great Grandfather was born, script writers were very smart to dupe you!!
When someone starts a sentence with “The Bible has/says…” just know that what follows is claptrap…and dont stand within an arm’s length of me. I have warned you in advance…I dont tolerated people who can not use their brains!!
But why is PF so dull,they just know taxes,here is an opportunity to make money you dimwits on a silver Plata, limbi fileyisettinga….what a bunch of morons…
By the time you wake up…the major Pharmaceutical will have patented medicines and Ministry of Health will be importing them at high prices!!
Mr. Sinkamba, let’s be clear. Cannabis and hemp are not the same thing!
They are both Cannabis sativa plant species…..just that this one is found in the Northern Hemisphere: Cannabis can be tweaked accordingly in the lab depending on its usage…its no surprise you see Dutch Millionaires deep in rural Malawi and Lundazi collecting samples to take back to the lab.
Jay Jay, with respect you are wrong. Mr. Trump has certainly not legalized the cultivation of cannabis which is a distinct plant from hemp (…after all, that’s why they call it hemp not cannabis!). Yes, the plants are of the same family but are different species so are key differences – the main one being the amount of THC, which is abundant in cannabis but found only in trace amounts in hemp. The two plants are therefore grown for very different reasons – hemp is for its fiber, cannabis is for getting high and medical purposes (making it more valuable). Both can be grown in the northern and southern hemispheres and both can surely be tweaked by bio-technologists. That has nothing to do with it. If in doubt, try Google.
In detail Sinkamba was calling for the same thing and what do you think Minister Chilufya said when he stated that MOH will look into farms for growing it for medicinal purposes. Just look at the reasons why Sinkamba suggested it…he never said anything about the recreational cannabis its you people who put words in his mouth!!
He is busy accusing Mexicans and bringing dobo in the usa and yet he is the one cultivating
Trump must go
“Our point is: Marijuana or hemp is not only used for people to go ‘high’, as appears to have been perceived by some quarters, including Government. Marijuana has multiple uses. It can be used to make fuel, fibre, paper, food, and medicine more than any other plant. An acre of hemp produces 300 gallons of oil and 3 tonnes of fibre. One acre of hemp yields as much paper as up to 4 acres of trees. If it were not for prohibition, by now, all paper would have been produced from hemp.” (Peter Sinkamba, Presidential Debate, 2015)
Meanwhile, the Chamber said in a statement released in Lusaka on Thursday that the effective tax rate will range from 86 percent to 105 percent, with about 27,900 jobs at risk……heheheheheheheh!
The problem here is translation …in Africa Hemp is simply Cannabis as the plant is exactly the same but tweaked in the lab (GMO).
@Peace Be With You! – Chamber of Mines answers to its subscribers or members …so everytime they make a statement just remember whose corner they are fighting!!
hehehehehehehehehe!
“The cannabis industry now looks ahead to increased investment, research, cultivation and sales in a hemp market that Brightfield Group estimates will reach $22 billion by 2022.”
Ni shalawambe sure!
What’s Zambia waiting for? we should legalize while the market is available for us to make money. I’ve no problem to use ibange for medicinal purposes and this can care a number of ailments.
This is where the problem starts …in English language they call it Hemp even in shops you will find tubs written Hemp Protein ( Suitable for Vegetarians) but you chaps say “inbange and all sorts ” and everything is lost in translation to your parents or the reader!!
Just listen to the song “bush doctor” by Peter Tosh Legalize marijuana
Down here in Jamaica
It can build up your failing economy
Eliminate the slavish mentality
and understand the lyrics