b'own rules for the 2020 hemp production season, rather than follow federal guidelines on the new crop. To date, 20 states have said they will follow the 2014 pilot rules this growing season, outnumbering the 12 that have so far received U.S. Department of Agriculture approval for their production plans under the interim final rule.Ghana Legalizes Cannabisbut Only theHemp VarietyOn March 20, Ghanas parliament passed the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, which will allow the use and cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial usesbut only the variety that is better known as hemp. The new law limits the allowable concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the plants the substance that gets people highto less than 0.3%. Thats the same level that was made legal for cultivation in the U.S. by the 2018 Farm Bill. FSANZ Calling for Comment on New Genetically Modified Corn to possess hemp in Iowa on April 8, 2020. License Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) isapplications for outdoor hemp crops will be accepted calling for comment on an Application to allow fooduntil May 15. There is no deadline to apply for a license from a new type of genetically modified corn line infor indoor hemp crops.the Food Standards Code.FSANZ CEO Mark Booth said the corn line has beenNIFA Invests in Rapid Response Research on genetically modified to be resistant to a range of herbi- COVID-19 Impacts on Agriculturecides.The GM corn is intended to be used in productsThe U.S. Department of Agricultures National Institute such as starch, grits, meal, flour, oil and sweetenersof Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced that it (corn syrups). Any foods made from this product mustis investing in research on the impact of COVID-19 be labelled as genetically modified where novel DNAon American agriculture. NIFA opened its request and/or protein is present in the final food. for applications on research or extension activities that focus on developing and deploying rapid, Indian Government Removes Royalties on Btreliable, and readily adoptable COVID-19 agricultural Cotton Seeds strategies across the food and agriculture enterprise. Indian seed firms producing Bt cotton seeds willThrough the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative no longer have to pay royalties to German agri and(AFRI) program, NIFA will invest up to $9 million for pharma giant Bayer as the government has decidedresearch in the following areas: health and security to completely remove trait value on transgenicof livestock; food and food processing; well-being cottonseeds sold in the country. In a notification issuedof farm workforce, food service providers, and rural on March 24, Agriculture Ministry said there will not beAmericans; and economic security. Applications are any trait value from now on Bollgard-I and Bollgard-IIdue June 4, 2020.hybrid cotton seeds sold in the country. Yield10 Bioscience Obtains Positive Response Iowa Department of Agriculture and Landfor CRISPR Genome-Edited Trait in CamelinaStewardship Now Issuing Hemp Licenses andYield10 Bioscience, Inc. announced that it has Seed Permits obtained a positive response from USDA-APHISs Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announcedBiotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) for its that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and LandCRISPR genome-edited C3007 trait in Camelina sativa Stewardship has issued its first round of hemp licensesplant lines designed to increase oil content. Yield10s and seed permits for the 2020 growing season. Tosubmission along with the USDA-APHIS BRS response date, 11 hemp licenses and 38 seed permits specificis posted on the USDAs website. SWto hemp have been approved since it became legal 116/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2020'