ALBANY, NY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on December 9 signed into law legislation introduced by the two agriculture committee chairs in the state legislature, Sen. Jen Metzger and Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, regulating the production and marketing of hemp extract in New York State. The 2018 Farm Bill removed cannabidiol, known as CBD, from the Controlled Substances Act, creating new opportunities for New York farmers and businesses. The state law establishes the necessary regulatory framework for hemp extract production, processing and commerce in the state, updating the hemp permitting process and regulating the extract industry through production standards, testing and labeling, creating needed industry certainty while also protecting consumers.

Metzger’s bill and the Assembly’s companion legislation, carried by Lupardo, were both passed in the legislature on the final day of the 2019 session.

“Today, New York has taken a nation-leading step forward to create the framework for growing, processing, and selling hemp extract and related products in our state, providing a tremendous opportunity for our farmers and businesses up the value chain while ensuring that we have the standards needed to protect consumer safety and well-being,” said Metzger. “As the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am thrilled to partner on this legislation with my counterpart in the Assembly, Donna Lupardo, and thank the governor for his support of this important legislation.”

Gail Hepworth, CEO of Hempire State Growers, said, “The hemp bill aligns well with our mission to build replicable, ethical, and sustainable practices in agriculture that significantly support the local economy and ecosystem of the Hudson Valley.”