Politics
USDA Unveils Guidelines For Federal Loans To Hemp Business
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released guidelines for processing federal loans for the hemp industry.
Since hemp was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, it is now considered an agricultural commodity like any other crop, and USDA has taken several steps to sync the market with its various programs and services. And the department’s new memo to state and county offices provides clarity on how to process direct or guaranteed loan applications for hemp producers.
The seven-page document, which was released last month, describes the various requirements a hemp business must satisfy in order to access USDA’s lending services. Chief among those requirements is for a prospective borrower to be licensed under a USDA-approved state or tribal hemp program, or under USDA’s basic regulations if the jurisdiction the business operates in has not submitted its own rules.
“While itâs understood that this new commodity will likely produce some servicing challenges because of State and Federal regulations, it should be treated as closely as possible to any other agricultural commodity and serviced in the same manner,” the memo states. “Hemp will be considered like any other borrower produced commodity, if the hemp was produced under a license authorized by the 2014 or 2018 farm bills, and provided the crop is not abandoned or destroyed.”
Borrowers who are not licensed to grow hemp will be considered in non-monetary default and any losses will not be covered.
While the document emphasizes that hemp should generally be treated the same as other crops, it also acknowledges unique requirements and challenges that the market continues to face.
For example, hemp that contains more than 0.3 percent THC must be disposed of under the department’s rules. And, the memo says, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) “will not pay for these services for direct loans and FSA will not cover a lenderâs advance to the borrower to cover the cost as part of any guaranteed loan loss claim.”
Officials should also be cognizant of ongoing problems with banking access for the industry, as some financial institutions still decline to service businesses that produce the crop despite its federal legalization.
“Applicants should ensure the availability of a banking institution authorizing these financial transactions to ensure availability of proceeds to support payment of expenses and debts,” USDA said. “Additionally, producers will be required to assign their sale proceeds to FSA in an amount not to exceed their annual payment.”
For direct and guaranteed loans, hemp businesses must have a contract with FSA laying out termination policies and their ability to repay the loans. Part of that calculus should involve looking at the “intended use of hemp being produced,” whether that’s fiber, seed or CBD oil.
The Farm Bill doesn’t allow for hemp licenses to be transferred, which also has some lending service implications, USDA wrote.
The memo says that “if the borrower defaults on the loan, dies, or abandons the operation, under no circumstance could another legal individual, lender, or FSA Agency official obtain the right to the commodity and attempt to liquidate it as a full or partial income recovery attempt.”
This latest document seems to build off the establishment of loan programs for hemp businesses that was described in a memo released in February. The purpose of that notice, which itself was an update to one published last October, was to provide “updated guidance on the analysis and evaluation of Direct Loan applications and/or requests for guaranteed loans for industrial hemp growers, especially as it relates to contracts.”
USDA announced last year that producers operating under the 2014 Farm Bill could access certain federal loans, but it said regulations had to be developed for those growing hemp under the latest agriculture legislation. In the time since, the department has been systematically approving state and tribal hemp plans on a rolling basis while at the same time pushing to normalize the industryâby providing hemp businesses with access to federal crop insurance, for example.
More recently, the hemp industry scored a victory after Congress passed legislation last month stipulating for the first time that farmers who cultivate the crop are eligible for federal coronavirus relief programs through the Small Business Administration.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently reached out for help burning “at least” 1,000 pounds of marijuana per hour for eight hours straight.
Every year, DEA seizes millions of marijuana plants and literal tons of raw cannabis, which eventually end up being destroyed. The successful contractor in Arizona would be responsible for burning marijuana and other controlled substances seized as evidence in drug cases âto a point where there are no detectable levels, as measured by standard analytical methods, of byproduct from the destruction process.”
“DEA shall inspect the incinerator to ensure no drug residue remains,â the agency said.
DEA posted the work description earlier this month in whatâs called a âsources sought notice,â an initial step before a formal request for proposals is sent.
âThis is not a request for proposals and does not obligate the Government to award a contract,â the post says. âThe Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is conducting market research, and is encouraging all businesses, including small businesses, to respond to this notice.â
An accompanying statement of work gives a behind-the-scenes look at the DEAâs process of destroying seized drugs. Typical boxes weigh between 40 and 60 pounds, for example, but can weigh up to 200 pounds. Contraband might come in on âsemi-trucks, tractor trailers, cargo vans, fork lifts, etc.,â the work description says.
âThe drugs are usually tightly compressed âbricksâ or âbales,ââ it continues, and are packaged in all sorts of materials: cardboard, wrapping paper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, packing tape, âduct tape and derivatives,â plastic evidence bags, âgrease/oilâ and others. Contractors will be expected to burn that stuff, too.
To avoid potential contact highs, there must be âproper ventilation” and “no smoke buildupâ will be allowed. Other mandates include closed-circuit cameras that capture the entire process, which DEA reserves the right to access, as well as background checks and regular drug tests of all personnel.
Armed DEA agents and contractors will be present during scheduled burns.
The work is also very hush-hush, so whoever gets the job shouldn’t expect to regale friends with stories of the latest large-scale federal weed burning sesh.
âThe contractor and its personnel shall hold all information obtained under the DEA contract in the strictest confidence,â the work description says. âAll information obtained shall be used only for performing this contract and shall not be divulged nor made known in any manner except as necessary to perform this contract.â
The work would start January 1 of next year and the contract would expire in 2026 unless terminated sooner. The deadline to send information for would-be contractors was Friday.
Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images
Politics
Harris Will Give Biden ‘Honest’ Input On Legalizing Marijuana And Other Issues As Part Of ‘Deal’
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris says she has a “deal” with Joe Biden to candidly share her perspective on a range of progressive policies he currently opposes, including legalizing marijuana. Separately, she also recently discussed cannabis reform in a private meeting with rapper Killer Mike.
During an interview on 60 Minutes that aired on Sunday, the senator was pressed on marijuana and numerous other issues where she and Biden disagree. In response, while she didn’t specifically commit to proactively advocating for comprehensive cannabis reform, she pledged in general that she would always share her views with the would-be president if the pair are elected next week.
“What I will doâand I promise you this and this is what Joe wants me to do, this was part of our dealâI will always share with him my lived experience as it relates to any issue that we confront,” she said after the interviewer listed cannabis legalization among a handful of issues on which she and Biden depart. “I promised Joe that I will give him that perspective and always be honest with him.”
If elected, would Kamala Harris advocate for Medicare for All, a plan Joe Biden doesnât support?
âI would not have joined the ticket if I didn't support what Joe was proposing,â says Senator Harris. https://t.co/8ne3USJZqO pic.twitter.com/dFDf0GBFk9
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 26, 2020
Asked whether that perspective will be “socialist” and “progressive,” Harris laughed and said “no.”
“It is the perspective of a woman who grew up a black child in America, who was also a prosecutor, who also has a mother who arrived here at the age of 19 from India, who also, you know, likes hip hop,” she said.
The senator’s taste in music also came up during her own 2020 presidential bid, when she said in an interview that she listened to Snoop Dogg and Tupac while smoking marijuana during college despite graduating before those artists released their debut albums.
Music culture has played a key role in this election cycle, and one of the strongest voices for criminal justice reform in the industry is Killer Mike, who worked as a surrogate for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) when he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. The artist said he met with Harris on Friday and the two discussed cannabis business opportunities for communities of color.
Just had a meeting with Sen. Harris.
My points *Dems Need to be heavy on the door KnoxâN, HR40 tweek it better and have Biden Sign, Fed Trades Programs for worker class Americans so u can build, Black men exit prison and entrance to marijuana biz as a priority for biz and jobs— Killer Mike (@KillerMike) October 23, 2020
As she’s done repeatedly since joining Biden’s campaign, Harris also reiterated at a rally in Pontiac, Michigan on Sunday that the administration would pursue marijuana decriminalization and expunging prior cannabis convictions.
She made similar comments during a campaign event in Atlanta last week, stating that the âwar on drugs was, by every measure, a failure, and black men were hit the hardest.â That said, while the senator has come to embrace broad cannabis reform, she’s faced criticism over her past opposition to legalization and role in prosecuting people for marijuana offenses as a California prosecutor.
In another interview released last week, Harris said she and Biden “have a commitment to decriminalizing marijuana and expunging the records of people who have been convicted of marijuana offenses.”
“When you look at the awful war on drugs and the disproportionate impact it had on black men and creating then criminal records that have deprived people of access to jobs and housing and basic benefits,” she said.
Thereâs been some frustration among cannabis reform advocates that Harris has scaled back her reform push since joining the Democratic ticket as Bidenâs running mate. During her own run for the presidential nomination, she called for comprehensive marijuana legalization but has in recent weeks focused her comments on the more modest reforms of decriminalization and expungement.
Harris, who is the lead Senate sponsor of a bill to federally deschedule marijuana, said last month that a Biden administration would not be âhalf-steppinââ cannabis reform or pursuing âincrementalism,â but thatâs exactly how advocates would define simple decriminalization.
In any case, the senator has repeatedly discussed cannabis decriminalization on the trail. She similarly said during a vice presidential debate earlier this month that she and Biden âwill decriminalize marijuana and we will expunge the records of those who have been convicted of marijuana.â
In addition to those policies, Biden backs modestly rescheduling the drug under federal law, letting states set their own policies and legalizing medical cannabis.
Musician John Legend Endorses Drug Decriminalization Ballot Measure In Oregon
Photo element courtesy of California Attorney General’s Office.
A Tennessee senator touted his support for legalizing medical marijuana in a campaign ad released on Friday.
In the 30-second spot, which has notably high production value for this kind of local race, state Sen. Steve Dickerson (R) talks about both the therapeutic benefits of cannabis and the consequences of broader marijuana criminalization.
“As your state senator, I’ve led the fight to legalize medical marijuana so our veterans and sickest Tennesseans can deal with chronic pain,” he said. “But this same life-saving plant has led to mass incarceration, with nonviolent marijuana possession resulting in lengthy prison sentences.”
Itâs past time for Tennessee to legalize medical cannabis and give our sickest residents a smart, safe treatment to help with chronic pain. Legalization and securing criminal justice reform have been my top priorities, and I wonât stop fighting until weâve changed the law. pic.twitter.com/28eFUy3loZ
— Steve Dickerson (@DickersonforS20) October 23, 2020
“I think that’s wrong. That’s why I’ve been pushing for criminal justice reform,” the senator added.
Dickerson, who sponsored a medical cannabis legalization bill that cleared a Senate committee in March, said in a Q&A published earlier this month that the policy change would be among his top three legislative priorities if he’s reelected.
His Democratic opponent, former Oak Hill Mayor Heidi Campbell, is in favor of “fully legalizing marijuana,” with her campaign site stating that cannabis crimes “disproportionately impact people of color and itâs time to end marijuana prohibition.”
But while Dickerson has earned a reputation as a moderate Republican given his positions on issues like cannabis reform, he’s faced backlash after declining to denounce an independent ad taken out on his behalf that some, including the LGBTQ rights organization Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), called racist.
The ad, which was paid for by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally’s (R) political action committee MCPAC, hits Campbell over her support for a nonprofit organization that is designed to keep young people out of prison, and it frames the group as “radical” and “extremist.” TEP rescinded their endorsement of Dickerson over his refusal to condemn the ad.
In the Tennessee legislature, marijuana reform has yet to passâbut there’s growing recognition that voters are in favor of the policy change. For example, former House Speaker Glen Casada (R) released the results of a constituent survey last year that showed 73 percent of those in his district back medical cannabis legalization.
Another former GOP House speaker, Beth Harwell, highlighted her support for the reform proposal during her unsuccessful bid for governor in 2018, and she referenced President Trump’s stated support for medical marijuana on the campaign trail.
In other Tennessee drug policy politics, a lawmaker in June blocked a resolution to honor murdered teen Ashanti Posey because she was allegedly involved in a low-level cannabis sale the day she was killed.
New York Will Legalize Marijuana ‘Soon’ To Aid Economic Recovery From COVID, Governor Cuomo Says
Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan.
