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Dear Colleagues -- Please note that our previously scheduled Monday, December 16, hemp/CBD conference call update is POSTPONED. As the attached memo from Peter and Trish notes, legislative activity on the Hill is extremely fluid, and we will reset the conference call as soon as there is more clarity on the current situation in Washington. That said, this update from Peter and Trish provides a very concise and extremely current update on efforts to develop a legislative directive to establish a regulatory pathway for hemp/CBD. We also attach a letter sent by the Hemp Roundtable to selected members of the Senate urging action. You will note in their letter that UNPA is now an advocacy partner with the Hemp Roundtable. We have been in close contact with them on an executive level and believe this collaboration will be, and indeed has already proven to be, beneficial. Without exaggeration, we can report that fully half of Peter and Trish's time (and UNPA staff's time as well) is devoted to hemp/CBD-related matters. We will, of course, keep you informed of key developments as they unfold. We wish you a somewhat restful weekend amidst the holiday shopping frenzy. Cordially, LDI ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Patricia Knight <PKnight@knight-cap.us> Date: Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 5:10 PM Subject: CBD Committee report To: Loren Israelsen (loren@unpa.com) <loren@unpa.com> Cc: Peter Reinecke <peter@rssinc.us> As the evening draws to a close, we wanted to provide you with the latest information on the potential that CBD language will be enacted as part of the end-of-year appropriations bill. When we last reported, the four trade associations had sent a letter to all Hill offices urging language to establish in law a pathway for sales of CBD dietary supplements. That letter was sent to at least three people in each of the 535 Hill offices; we wanted to make triply sure it was read. Today, the Hemp Roundtable also sent a letter (attached). It is an extremely busy time on Capitol Hill – as you may have read, appropriators did reach agreement on the framework of an end-of-the-year appropriations bill which will extend until September 30, 2020, thus giving finality to government funding for FY 2020. That said, the details are still being worked out, but the plan is to have this all resolved by tonight and then drafted over the weekend. The idea of putting CBD language in the Agriculture appropriations part of the bill (which funds the FDA) is still on the table -- staff believe they are making progress – but we believe the odds of seeing a new pathway signed into law on this bill seem to be diminishing in the face of FDA pushback. To be fair, there is still the possibility of bill language, but an even greater possibility of only advisory report language (which would show congressional intent, but which would not be binding). We have worked with Hill staff all day and have urged legislative language, consistent with the industry’s letters to Congress. It is important that finality be given to a pathway on a priority basis, particularly for the hemp farmers who will have to plant crops for next year. We will continue to keep you posted if there is any news. Loren Israelsen 
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