There is a lot to unpack in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new hemp regs but here are the most salient points:
1) If a state wants to have primary authority over the cultivation and sale of hemp they should submit a proposed plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture;
2) They are not requiring federal seed certification;
3) Testing will have to be done at DEA-registered testing laboratory;
4) Within 15 days prior to harvest a government official must collect flower samples to test;
5) The testing must account for the conversion of THCA into THC;
6) The testing labs must report a measure of uncertainty (MU) basically a margin of error, which will be accounted for when determining THC levels;
7) A grower will not be considered negligent if their plant is less than .5% THC although if it is more than .3% they must dispose of the plant;
8) These rules take effect in the 2021 growing season;