Hemp Alerts & Happenings
A monthly newsletter brought to you by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
March 2021
Committee Information
Hemp Center of Excellence Steering Committee Members Selected
In February, the hemp program announced that it was accepting applications from hemp stakeholders to serve on the Center of Excellence Steering Committee. Ten people from a variety of hemp industries have been selected to serve on the steering committee. Click here to view the list of the committee members.
Program Updates
Introducing Michael Roll, Hemp Sampling Certification Coordinator
I wanted to introduce myself to the hemp industry; although I’ve met some of you over the years while collecting hemp samples. I have been with the Colorado Department of Agriculture for over five years as a field inspector and I am now responsible for developing and implementing a hemp sampler certification program. Previously, I have worked for Denver Botanic Gardens, City of Littleton, and Colorado State University Cooperative Extension; so many years in the green industry I have lost count! This new program will allow Colorado’s hemp program the opportunity to continue meeting the federal and state requirements while providing the most efficient delivery of services possible.

My primary duty is to create a certification program for authorized samplers to collect and handle industrial hemp samples in order to achieve 100% sampling of hemp lots in Colorado. I will be creating a training and testing program for certified samplers, working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the hemp program to determine what labs can be utilized for THC testing, and conducting quality control to ensure sampling is conducted in a consistent and uniform manner. Please feel free to reach out to me at michael.roll@state.co.us with questions or concerns. I’m looking forward to developing a strong partnership with the hemp industry.
Requirements for Exporting Hemp Seeds and Hemp Plants
Hemp Exports: Effective Jan. 1, 2021, Phytosanitary certificates are no longer required for Domestic SEED shipments.
Exceptions:
1.Puerto Rico and Florida still require Phytos for all hemp shipments.
2.Phytosanitary certificates and inspections are still required for domestic live plant material and biomass, and all international shipments.
European Corn Borer: If you are planning to ship live plant material or biomass (seeds are exempt) to California or Texas you must meet European Corn Borer quarantine certification. Greenhouse or field grown plant material must have traps placed from May 1 to Oct. 31. This includes mother stock of future cutting material. Biomass material can meet ECB certification using ½” screening certification.
Field Inspections: Live plant material, biomass, or seed shipments to some foreign countries may require that the plant material be inspected during the active growth period. CDA inspectors can provide this certification either for greenhouse or field grown crop production. This involves a one-time only visual inspection during the active growth period of that crop.
For more information regarding any of the above certifications please contact
Cheryl Smith at 303-548-5333 or cheryl.smith@state.co.us
Issues With Wet Baling Hemp
Here at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), we have seen a rise in hemp biomass test results that are positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Salmonella. STEC are a group of bacteria that normally live in the guts of humans and animals. While most strains of these are harmless, some produce toxins that can make you sick and cause diarrhea or much worse. Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, and can even lead to infections in blood, joints, and the central nervous system. While the science behind solvent-based extraction indicates that these pathogens won’t survive processing and make it into the final product, the real danger involves the handling of the biomass by employees and the contamination of any and all equipment prior to the extraction step.

The cause? The evidence points to wet baling of harvested hemp plants. Wet baling hemp with high moisture content provides an extremely suitable environment for these pathogens to flourish. It can also cause the biomass to mold which can create toxins that cannot be removed. The combination of moisture and toxin may also lead to rot which causes farmers to lose entire crops. As a matter of food safety, public health, and protection of profits, adequate drying of hemp is both a best practice and sound investment. Contact Jon Strauss of CDPHE at jon.strauss@state.co.us or 303-692-3654 if you have questions.
Meetings For The Hemp Program
On Tuesday, March 23, 2021, from 10:00 to 11:00 am, the Center of Excellence Steering Committee will be meeting with MPG Consulting to discuss the creation of the Center of Excellence.

On Wednesday, March 24, 2021, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the Department will be hosting a virtual meeting and accepting public comments on the Proposed Changes to the Industrial Hemp Rules (i.e., Redline Rules). The Proposed Changes to the Industrial Hemp Rules can be found here. Public feedback is valued and comments will be accepted during the meeting. Additionally, to ensure we receive all public input, we encourage stakeholders to submit their comments in writing by emailing them to: cda_industrialhemp@state.co.us.

Coming Soon: Stakeholder Engagement for the Revision of Colorado’s State Hemp Plan
In April, the Department will be hosting a stakeholder virtual meeting to discuss Colorado’s State Hemp Plan to the USDA. More information will be provided later.
Click here to go to Hemp Upcoming Events where you will find the Zoom link and call-in information for Hemp Program Meetings.



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Broomfield, CO 80021
303-869-9050