October 2019 - 32

MANAGEMENT
In North Carolina, crops have to be tested before harvesting to determine
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels. Plants that exceed the federally
permitted 0.3% THC have to be destroyed.
or when the CBD oil was produced. Others have been told they'd be paid
in CBD oil or a percentage of the oil sold by the processor. There are
processors that are writing contracts and have standing orders with farmers
to produce hemp crops. Growers want to have more than handshake deals.
Growers want to have something in writing when dealing with processors.
" This used to occur in the floriculture industry all the time where growers
would make an arrangement with a buyer and they had nothing in writing.
There was no documentation so they really didn't have a contract and
they had nothing to back them up later in court when a customer reneged
on an order. "
Hamrick says growers need to know what their responsibilities are,
including how the hemp is going to be delivered to the processor, in what
form and in what timeframe.
" Growers want to have the basics in writing, " she adds. " What is expected
of the grower? What is expected of the processor? "
KNOW THE RISKS
One advantage that greenhouse ornamental and vegetable growers have
over field growers is they have learned how to manipulate the factors that
influence how plants grow.
" These growers can produce the plants whether they are ornamentals or
vegetables, but where are they going to market them? " Hamrick says. " The
same is true for hemp.
" There are many other questions that need to be answered. What is
the legal framework for the market? How does it function and what are
the rules? The production piece is part of it. But the framework and the
infrastructure that surrounds that framework is also a big part of it. "
When talking to growers about producing hemp, Hamrick asks them how
much money they need to make from the crop.
32 OCTOBER 2019 GPNMAG.COM
Researchers at North Carolina State University are trialing different varieties
of industrial hemp for cannabidiol (CBD) oil production.
" I ask growers of any new crop whether they can take the risk of
growing the crop, " she says. " Or are they growing the crop just to
gamble. If growers are relying on hemp to save their farms, it may not
be their best choice. "
Another concern of Hamrick's is the potential effects of CBD oil and
the limited amount of information that is available.
On July 23, 2019, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.
gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-warns-companymarketing-unapproved-cannabidiol-products-unsubstantiated-claimstreat-cancer)
issued a warning letter to Curaleaf Inc. in Wakefield,
Massachusetts, for illegally selling unapproved CBD products online
with unsubstantiated claims. The company advertised its products
could be used to treat a variety of diseases and conditions including
cancer, Alzheimer's, opioid withdrawal, pain and pet anxiety.
" We don't yet have a clear picture of how CBD oil really impacts
human health, " Hamrick explains. " We don't know dose rates for
different individuals. We don't understand drug interactions. We don't
understand long term use.
" Many of the effects of CBD oil are only anecdotal. Someone said they
tried it and they got relief or they're sleeping better. This is not how our
country operates when it comes to drugs and human health. A drug
manufacturer can't say something works if it hasn't been proven. That's
false advertising. "
For more information: Contact Debbie Hamrick, North Carolina Farm
Bureau Federation, Raleigh, North Carolina; 919.782.1705; debbie.
hamrick@ncfb.org; www.ncfb.org.
David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas and can be
reached at dkuack@gmail.com.

http://www.fda http://www.ncfb.org http://www.GPNMAG.COM

October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2019