b"CSI / CSI-ICS.COM / THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED IN IMPORTING HEMP SEEDWHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO IMPORT HEMP SEED? A LOT!CANADA RECENTLY MARKED a year sinceAn import permit for each shipment imported the legalization of recreational can- Seed must be of pedigreed status and of an approved nabis. We get a lot of questions thesecultivar, or in the case of a plant breeder, seed must be of days concerning importation of hempa variety of industrial hemp that is set out in the breeders seed. Is hemp the same as canna- industrial hemp licence.bis? Do the same rules apply to both crops? What are the rules, exactly?Industrial hemp and cannabiswhile they are technically the same plant speciesdiffer due to their intended uses and their THC content.AS MORE BUSINESSES SEEK TO ENTER THE HEMP Roy van Wyk, CSITHC is, of course, the naturally-Executive Director occurring substance contained inMARKET, ITS CRUCIAL TO BE UP-TO-DATE ON cannabis that has a psychoactiveIMPORT REQUIREMENTS.effect when consumed for medical or recreational purposes.The Cannabis Act and its regula-tions provide a legal framework for the possession, production, distribu-tion and sale of cannabis in Canada.The importer must also disclose a number of details Cannabis with greater than 0.3% THCabout the imported material within 20 days of import. is known as cannabis. Cannabis withThe list is extensive and includes:Did you know?less than 0.3% THC is referred to asThe importers name, the number of the licence that Hemp and cannabisindustrial hemp. authorizes the importation and the import permit are the same plantThe Industrial Hemp Regulationsnumber issued in respect of the shipment;species, with a(under the Cannabis Act) set out the The date of release of the shipment;crucial difference:regulatory framework for controlling The quantity, in kilograms, of each form imported, and hemp is low in THC. and authorizing certain activities with if the shipment consists of seeddocuments establish-industrial hemp. Under this frame- ing that fact the seed is of pedigreed status that is of an work, a person is required to obtainapproved cultivar, and;a licence issued by Health CanadaIn the case of a plant breeder, the seed is of a vari-in order to conduct various activitiesety of industrial hemp set out in their licence or the with industrial hemp.germplasm is the one whose name or number is set An industrial hemp licence isout in their licence. required to cultivate, sell, import,In the case of a plant breeder, the seed is of a vari-export, clean, condition and processety of industrial hemp set out in their licence or the hemp. germplasm is the one whose name or number is set Now that the cannabidiol (CBD)out in their licence. craze is in full swing, we are gettingThere are numerous requirements and they must be more questions about how to importfollowed stringently to avoid complications. A number industrial hemp seed.of resources are available online including the Industrial There are a number of things youHemp Licensing Application Guide which is easily acces-need to know. To import hemp seed,sible via Google.a person or company needs:As more businesses seek to enter the hemp market, itsAn industrial hemp licence fromcrucial to be up-to-date on import requirements. Contact Health Canada that includesme at rvanwyk@csi-ics.com or Jennifer Scott at jscott@csi-importation ics.com to discuss! 26GERMINATION.CA NOVEMBER 2019"