The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the Virgin Islands Hemp Plan, which outlines the procedures and requirements for cultivating and producing hemp products in the territory, Government House announced Tuesday. Reports The Virgin Islands Consortium
The plan, which is administered by the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture and Industrial Hemp Commission, includes provisions for maintaining information on the land where hemp is produced, testing the level of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), disposing of plants that do not meet the necessary licensing and other requirements and ensuring compliance with all USDA and other federal guidelines, Government House said.
“This is very welcomed news for the territory,” Governor Albert Bryan said Monday. “Not only will this approval lead to the potential for an increase in our local export manufacturing, but it will also help us further diversify our economy and add new streams of revenue.”
Mr. Bryan also reiterated his call for Senate action on his administration’s proposed expansion of the Medicinal Cannabis Patient Care Act, which aims to establish a taxed regulated system for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution of marijuana for medical, non-certified, recreational and sacramental use.
The revenues generated from the tax will go toward to the territory’s Government Employees Retirement System, Mr. Bryan has said.
“I now call on the 33rd Legislature to act on the amended Cannabis legislation submitted by my administration in December and resubmitted two weeks ago to continue our forward push to establish new revenue streams to move us closer to shoring up the Government Employees Retirement System,” the governor said.
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