While civilizations cultivated hemp for thousands of years, today, hemp is described as a crop of the future because the plant can be created into numerous products. Once the hemp’s bast fiber, long fiber, hurd, and hemp seed are converted into woven hemp, non-woven hemp, pulp, composites, absorbents, hemp oil, etc., it will then need to be incorporated into one of over 25,000 different varieties of manufactured products. Hemp manufactured products include, but are not limited to, paper, clothing, automotive parts, animal bedding, fuel, plastic alternative, hempcrete, supplements, beauty care products, etc. We will assist these end-user manufacturers to comply with the law and help them source the best starting product.
- Intellectual Property Protection – With the 2018 Farm Bill and the USDA’s approval of Florida’s hemp program in April 2020, there is a rush for new brands to enter the market. It is imperative that any new brands or existing brands protect their brand, including the name, logo, the phrase, or the like. This is generally achieved by registering those items as trademarks. We will assist with protecting your brand to the fullest extent of the law.
- Company Formation– There are a lot of variables to consider when forming your company. We will assist with ownership type, ownership structure, and preparing formation documents.
- Sourcing the Hemp– The hemp bill includes specific provisions for distribution and retail sale of hemp extract. It requires that there is a certificate of analysis prepared by an independent testing laboratory and that there is specific information on the packaging. The bill also permits the hemp to be transported across state lines consistent with federal law. We will assist you through the entire sourcing process including identifying the right source to suit your needs, complying with the legal requirements, and negotiating the supply contracts.
- Reporting/Testing Compliance– In order for hemp to be legal, it must contain no more than 0.3% THC. This creates various requirements with reporting/testing compliance. We will assist you with setting up procedures so that your operations comply with all reporting and testing requirements.
- Bookkeeping and Accounting– Like any business, bookkeeping and accounting are key to understanding your business as well as complying with legal requirements. We will assist you in implementing proper accounting systems to properly capture all the necessary data.
- Employment Matters– Like any business, there are various employment matters that must be properly dealt with. We will assist you with various employment matters including offer letters, equity compensation, separation agreements, employee handbook, and litigating employment disputes.
- Commercial Litigation– Most businesses have to deal with some amount of litigation. But, litigating a case in the hemp industry has its own set of complications and challenges. We are experienced and aggressive litigators.
- CBD – Having a hemp-derived CBD business comes with its own opportunities, challenges, and legal hurdles. Please see Hemp-derived CBD Business page for more information.