New U.S. Hemp Authority Certified Verification Standard Names Where Food Comes From, Inc. as Program Administrator
December 20, 2018 at 09:00 am
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Where Food Comes From, Inc. announced that it has been named Program Administrator for the new U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certified verification standard. Under the agreement, WFCF’s Validus Verification Services unit was named as exclusive certification body for hemp growers and processors seeking to comply with the standard and earn the right to display the U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certified seal in their product labeling, advertising and marketing. Participating hemp growers and processors will be educated in FDA best practices designed to reassure consumers and law enforcement that hemp-based products displaying the certification seal are both safe and legal. Specifically, the certification process evaluates quality management systems, master manufacturing records, ISO quality standards, current good manufacturing practices and employee training for best practices. The U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certified program was developed with the support of the US Hemp Roundtable in anticipation of passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which was recently overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. House and Senate and is expected to be signed into law this month. The bill legalized hemp farming in the US following years of prohibition due to misconceptions about the product. Although a member of the cannabis family, hemp does not have the psychotropic effects of THC, which is found in marijuana, which is also a member of the cannabis family. Hemp has thousands of applications and is used in the production of products ranging from textiles and construction materials to biofuels and plastics. A key driver in passage of the legislation was the medicinal quality of cannabidiol, or CBD, which is finding broad market acceptance in the treatment of pain, anxiety and other medical issues. The most notable medicinal benefit to date involves treatment of Epileptic seizures, which in clinical trials were greatly reduced in severity with CBD-based drug therapy that has since been approved by the FDA. Hemp is a highly sustainable, eco-friendly crop that requires less water to grow, is naturally pest resistant and is effective in restoring polluted soil and reducing erosion. Hemp was an $820 million industry in 2017, with more than two-thirds of that total comprised of food, supplements, personal care and CBD oil. With passage of the 2018 Farm bill, the total market for hemp-based products is expected by some analysts to grow to nearly $2.0 billion by 2022.
Where Food Comes From, Inc. provides a trusted resource for third-party verification of food production practices in North America. The Company supports approximately 17,500 farmers, ranchers, vineyards, wineries, processors, retailers, distributors, trade associations, consumer brands, chefs and restaurants with a variety of value-added services. The Companyâs segments include Verification and Certification and Professional Services. The Verification and Certification Segment offer a range of products and services to maintain identification, traceability, and verification systems. It conducts both on-site and desk audits to verify that claims being made about livestock, food, other high-value specialty crops and agricultural products are accurate. The Professional services include a range of professional consulting, data analysis, reporting and technology solutions that support its verification business and generate incremental revenue specific to the food and agricultural industry.
WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, INC. 
