New rules scheduled to go into effect in Tennessee today regarding hemp have been put on hold after a temporary injunction.
On September 27, 2024, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) filed permanent rules for hemp producers and retailers and suppliers of hemp-derived cannabinoid (HDC) products, which were to come into effect on December 26, 2024.
The new rules stipulate the combined amount of delta-9 THC and THCa in cannabis must be under 0.3% in order to be recognised as hemp. The reason THCa has been included is it undergoes a chemical change when heated and and turns into THC.
If the rules had gone ahead, it would have meant THCa flower could no longer sold in the state, basically wiping out the significant industry that has grown. It’s an industry that has also made a considerable contribution to state coffers. According to the Tennessee Growers Coalition, more than 15 million dollars in tax revenue has been reported from HDC alone since July of 2023.
The Tennessee Growers Coalition was one of the parties suing the TDA over the new rules; and after a few nail-biting days waiting for a court decision, it received the news it was hoping for on Xmas Eve.
“We learned today that we were granted a temporary injunction until February 18th on the lawsuits that we filed against the Tennessee Department of Agriculture,” said the TGC.
The Court’s decision states:
“This Court finds that a brief injunction while the Court gets an additional understanding of the proposed testing will not unduly harm the Department or public and will preserve the status quo.”
The Coalition said it would be back in court on February the 18th, 2025 to seek a a permanent injunction on the rules.
In other recent hemp news out of the state, a couple of hemp businesses are to be compensated for their losses after a seizure of products in May this year. While no wrongdoing has been admitted by the State of Tennessee and the City of Spring Hill, the settlement is for USD $735,000.
New rules scheduled to go into effect in Tennessee today regarding hemp have been put on hold after a temporary injunction. Read More
