The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) legalized hemp by removing the crop and its derivatives from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and by providing a detailed framework for the cultivation of hemp. The 2018 Farm Bill gives the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulatory authority over hemp cultivation at the federal level. In turn, states have the option to maintain primary regulatory authority over the crop cultivated within their borders by submitting a plan to the USDA.

Hemp cultivation in Ohio is regulated by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (“ODA”). Notably, Ohio was among the first states that got a 2018 Farm Bill hemp production plan approved by the USDA. Way to go, Buckeyes! People who want to grow hemp in Ohio will need to obtain licenses from the ODA and hemp cultivated there is subject to testing requirements established by the USDA’s interim hemp rules.

When it comes to Hemp-CBD, the state has not dialed in its regulatory regime. The ODA is in the process of reviewing public testimony before adopting rules affecting the processing of Hemp CBD products. In late 2019, there was a public hearing concerning proposed processing rules that would govern many different types of Hemp-CBD products (as of today, those regulations haven’t been officially adopted). It’s important to note that these rules would not let anyone go and start processing. Instead, licenses would be required and it looks like the state’s requirements will be pretty comprehensive.

The products that the rules would govern include “hemp buds, flowers, cigarettes, cigars, shredded hemp, cosmetics, personal care products, dietary supplements or food intended for animal or human consumption, cloth, cordage, fiber, fuel, paint, paper, particleboard, and any other product.” So basically, anything under the sun. Notably, the rules anticipate the production of Hemp-CBD products (e.g., cosmetics and food) but also anticipate the use of hemp in all kinds of other products that will not be marketed for Hemp-CBD content (e.g., paint and fuel). These rules are therefore extremely comprehensive.

These rules would also impose some strict requirements on manufacture, including pretty standard things that our hemp attorneys see in other states. This includes testing and labeling, to start.

In sum, while Ohio probably isn’t anywhere near the top of the list when people think about states that allow hemp, it’s actually more friendly than a lot of other large states (looking at you California). While states like California are still in prohibitionist mode for all kinds of Hemp-CBD products, states like Ohio are taking the wheel.

Credit: Harris Bricken | Canna Law Blog

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