§ 14-305. Plan for monitoring and regulating hemp production.

MD Agric Code § 14-305 (2019) (N/A)
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(a)    The Department, in consultation with the Governor and the Attorney General, shall establish a plan for monitoring and regulating the production of hemp in the State.

(b)    (1)    The plan required under subsection (a) of this section shall include:

(i)    A practice to maintain, for a period of not less than 3 calendar years, relevant information regarding the land on which hemp is produced, including a legal description of the land;

(ii)    A procedure for testing, using postdecarboxylation or another similarly reliable method, the delta–9–tetrahydrocannabinol concentration levels of hemp produced in the State;

(iii)    A procedure for the effective disposal of:

1.    Plants, whether growing or not, that are produced in violation of this subtitle; and

2.    Products derived from plants that are produced in violation of this subtitle;

(iv)    A procedure for the enforcement of this subtitle;

(v)    A procedure for conducting annual inspections that include, at a minimum, a random sample of hemp producers to verify that hemp is being produced in accordance with this subtitle;

(vi)    A procedure for submitting to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture within 30 days of receipt by the Department:

1.    The contact information for each person licensed to produce hemp;

2.    The legal description of the land on which hemp is produced; and

3.    The status of each license and any changes to the status of a license; and

(vii)    A certification that the State has the resources and personnel to carry out the practices and procedures required under the plan.

(2)    The plan required under subsection (a) of this section may include any other practice or procedure that is consistent with federal law.

(c)    (1)    The Department shall submit the plan required under subsection (a) of this section to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for approval.

(2)    If the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not approve the plan submitted under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Department shall:

(i)    Amend the plan; and

(ii)    Submit the amended plan to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.