The German Farmers’ Association (DBV), the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) and the Industrial Hemp Network (NHN) have sent a joint letter to the EU to draw attention to the need to strengthen the European commercial hemp sector. The letter contains three proposals that could be implemented as part of the upcoming reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP):
- Clarification of the legality of all plant parts of hemp: An EU-wide regulation is called for to provide legal certainty regarding the use of all hemp plant parts (including flowers). It is suggested to include hemp in the list of agricultural crops in accordance with Article 75 of the CMO Regulation in order to be able to define marketing standards.
- Definition of hemp by setting a THC limit value of 0.5 % for variety certification: The associations advocate a uniform definition of hemp by setting a THC limit value of 0.5 % for variety certification in order to create clarity for authorities.
- Reduction of costly field inspections: It is proposed to replace field inspections with satellite monitoring and mandatory hemp cultivation declarations.
The associations argue that industrial hemp has positive effects on agriculture and the environment (soil improvement, promotion of biodiversity, carbon sequestration). The proposed measures are intended to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and make cultivation more attractive.
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