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Hemp producers and small growers urge CRC for transition relief after new law; industry warns of immediate harm
Summary
During public comment at the Sept. 4 CRC meeting dozens of hemp licensees, farmers and testing labs asked the commission for permits or transitional relief after the legislature enacted a law reclassifying certain hemp products; speakers warned a 30‑day compliance window will force licensed hemp businesses out of market.
Dozens of hemp farmers, manufacturers and related businesses told the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission on Sept. 4 that a recently enacted law governing hemp‑derived intoxicating products threatens immediate harm to a small group of licensed hemp businesses.
“At harvest my products are USDA‑compliant and lab‑tested — now we have 30 days to stop,” GrowWorks representative Thomas Nourcio said, describing cultivated inventory ready for market. “We were here first. We need a gateway for the hemp growers to get into this program.”
Kristen Godey, founder of Trichome Analytical and a CRC‑licensed lab, told commissioners the bill (identified in public comment as S3235) “mistakenly classifies federally legal products like CBD flower and full‑spectrum CBD products as intoxicating” and urged the commission to establish a permit allowing the 38 existing USDA‑licensed hemp businesses to continue selling federally compliant products while the CRC develops comprehensive regulations. “In just 23 days, licensed hemp cultivators and processors will be unable to sell their products if nothing's done,” Godey said.
Multiple speakers raised similar themes: small businesses said they have invested hundreds of thousands—sometimes millions—of dollars and that a 30‑day window to comply is not feasible. Jim Shone, a licensed hemp farmer, urged the CRC to extend any compliance window “to 6 months or a year” to avoid forcing licensed producers out of business. Several speakers requested explicit grandfathering mechanisms or temporary permits that would allow products already tested and approved under the Department of Agriculture hemp program to continue to be sold.
Commissioners did not announce an immediate permit or regulatory change at the meeting. Chairwoman noted the commission is working on implementation and will engage state partners, and Director Riggs reiterated staff are coordinating rule development. The meeting record contains no formal board motion establishing a temporary permit or extending the statutory compliance window; public commenters were repeatedly encouraged to work with staff and to supply documentation to support transition proposals.
Other public comments at the same hearing addressed licensing delays for social‑equity applicants, the rehabilitation and ID issuance process for prospective employees, workforce and labor‑practice concerns in cultivation and manufacturing sites, and technical proposals about lower‑energy extraction methods. Several speakers urged the commission to streamline rehabilitation determinations and to provide clearer timelines for waivers and microlicense rules.
No board action directly altering the statutory deadlines was recorded; staff and commissioners said they would consider stakeholder input as they proceed with regulatory implementation.
