Ask Our Experts: Pennsylvania’s Hemp Licensing Gap

 

Q: I’m a hemp cultivator in Pennsylvania: My license expires in February, but the  reapplication deadline is April 1; what should I do meanwhile?

By New Frontier Data

A: Pennsylvania’s licensing gap is an issue with no simple answer. The state Department of Agriculture is the best source for a meaningful answer, according to Cynthia Petrone-Hudock, CEO of Hemp-Alternative (and an advisor to New Frontier Data).

“The state has not commented on the gap,” she said. “However, some attorneys are suggesting that we continue to operate under the 2019 permit guidelines until the 2020 permit is issued.”

Pending guidance by the state, there remain ways to address the licensing gap issue. Ultimately it is a legal question, so cultivators are strongly encouraged to perform due diligence and consult  legal counsel as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture before making a decision.