We are excited to announce that the U.S. Hemp Authority® Certification Program Draft Standard 4.0 is now available for public comment to better serve the evolving hemp and CBD industries. The U.S. Hemp Authority Program® Standard v4.0 include clarifications on glossary terms, intoxicating cannabinoid products and manufacturing requirements.
Version 4.0 does not represent a substantial change from the previous version 3.0 which has been operating effectively over the past year. However, there are some key changes that deserve public attention and input:
- Most prominently, the definitions provided in the Standard’s glossary were completely overhauled to reflect the greater understanding of the science and policy behind the hemp plant and hemp products. Of note, other organizations and state regulators have been looking to U.S. Hemp Authority’s definitions for their guidance, so public attention is critical to ensure that they are sound and accurate.
- With the rise of intoxicating products being marketed as hemp, such as Delta-8 THC, sections outlining the prohibitions on intoxicating compounds being certified by U.S. Hemp Authority were strengthened in 4.0.
- Given that many different certification bodies may in the short and long term be involved with the program, we deleted mention of any particular firm or company,
- The category that was originally labeled “Manufacturer/Processor” has been renamed “Manufacturer” to provide more clarity and precision.
The U.S. Hemp Authority® Standard, through its Certification Program and seal aims to assure all interested parties with production practices meet legal requirements for quality of hemp and hemp-derived ingredients and products, that ingredients and products are handled to maintain product integrity, and are labeled to represent their contents truthfully and clearly. Certified operators are held accountable for demonstrating compliance with all applicable requirements of the Standard, including providing for adequate worker training and safety, and documentation of practices to verify product quality, authenticity, and traceability.
Over the past few years, thousands of industry experts have answered the U.S. Hemp Authority’s calls to help develop industry standards in what they have termed Guidance Plan 1.0, Guidance 2.0, Standard 3.0, and the latest, Standard 4.0 – previous iterations demonstrate the industry’s professionalism and promote confidence among consumers that hemp products can be trusted, and among government officials that hemp products meet clear standards.
We need your help. It’s time for public comments on the new and improved U.S. Hemp Authority® Standard - Version 4.0.
Once again, we are asking the hemp industry – farmers, manufacturers, brand owners, retailers and consumers – to weigh in on how we can make our Standard even stronger – how we can make the US Hemp Authority® Certification Seal an even prouder symbol of confidence, trust, truth in labeling, and transparency of process.
It's simple to participate:
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Click here to review the new U.S. Hemp Authority® Standard Version 4.0
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Click here to submit comments
Our deadline for submission of comments is June 15th, 2022– so please act soon.
And just as important – we ask you to share this notice with your friends, colleagues and social media contacts in the industry. While our email list has grown, and we have asked the other major organizations in the industry to help us get the word out, the more people that participate, the more successful the program can continue to be.
Thank you so much for your help making this exciting industry even greater and stronger.
Sincerely,
Marielle Weintraub
President
U.S. Hemp Authority®
