Guidance Procedures 2.0 for the U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certification Program Released

U.S. HEMP AUTHORITYTM RELEASES GUIDANCE PROCEDURES 2.0
After a Year-Long Collaborative Industry Effort, the Updated Guidance Will Continue to Promote High Standards and Best Practices in the Ever-Changing Industry
Lexington, KY (Nov. 1, 2019)  : The U.S. Hemp Authority TM , the mark of trust for hemp and CBD products, released today its Guidance Procedures 2.0. The U.S. Hemp Authority creates and upholds stringent regulatory standards through independent third-party auditing, certifying safe and quality-assured hemp and CBD brands. Since the program was established in early 2019, more than 60 companies have been awarded the Certification Seal under Guidance Procedures 1.0, all of which will have to comply with Guidance Procedures 2.0.

Guidance Procedures 2.0, launched in the spring of 2019, was aimed at applying the lessons of the initial launch of the program and taking even greater input from stakeholders across the hemp industry on how to improve the program and its standards. The efforts included two rounds of public comment and review and refinement by an expert Technical Committee, representing every element of the hemp industry.

Guidance Procedures 2.0 reflects several significant policy changes made in response to more than 2,000 comments received from hemp industry stakeholders. These include:

  • Processors, manufacturers and brand owners are now responsible for complying with all relevant FDA regulations for foods, beverages, cosmetics and dietary supplements, to ensure that product safety is the highest priority.
  • Genetically-engineered hemp is prohibited from the program, and genetically-engineered non-hemp ingredients must be identified on the product label.
  • Product labeling must include the country of origin of the hemp biomass from which the product was derived.
  • Synthetic and biosynthetic CBD and other synthetic and biosynthetic cannabinoids are prohibited from the program, as are cannabimimetic phytochemicals.
  • The terms “broad spectrum,” “full spectrum” and “isolate” have been defined for use in labeling.
“The U.S. Hemp Authority’s Certification Program is critical to the future of hemp and hemp-derived products,” stated Marielle Weintraub, PhD, the Board President. “There are too many unsafe or mislabeled products on the market, particularly in the CBD space, and the hemp industry has joined to ensure consumer confidence that products featuring our label are safe for their families. While the FDA takes its time to develop formal regulations, the industry has taken the responsible step of self-regulation.”

“It’s been extraordinary to watch the hemp industries – from farmers, to activists, to processors, to product manufacturers, to laboratory scientists – join together to assume responsibility for these emerging industries,” noted Joy Beckerman, the Board Vice President, who also serves as President of the Hemp Industries Association. “And it’s wonderful to see so much consensus emerge on difficult issues such as genetic engineering. Contrary to a misleading email and social media campaign, out of the more than 2,000 comments we received, over 99% supported a prohibition against GMO hemp.”

“The American Herbal Products Association appreciates the U.S. Hemp Authority’s commitment to improving their 2.0 Guidance Procedures by incorporating compliance with current dietary supplement, food, and cosmetic regulations as the baseline to their certification program moving forward, said AHPA Director of Program Development Jane Wilson. “This action is consistent with AHPA’s own guidance policy on regulatory compliance for hemp-derived products and will emphasize the importance of adherence to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and other applicable regulations that serve to protect consumers.”
For more information on The U.S. Hemp Authority and Guidance Procedures 2.0, visit www.ushempauthority.org.

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