Idaho’s Crackdown on Pet Hemp Products Has Bigger Implications

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture announced its decision to stop the sale of animal feeds and remedies containing hemp and CBD, effective November 1, 2022.

Hemp Well is vehemently opposed to the Agency’s rationale included in their memorandum. Through our membership with the National Animal Supplement Council, we have communicated with the Governor and the Agency’s offices sharing the impact to animal safety without access to quality and trusted hemp products.

Even more concerning than the attack on hemp, after reading through the Agency’s memorandum multiple times, and assuming their interpretations are in fact true, then the entire lineup of Cosequin and many of Naturvet products need to be removed from Idaho shelves. These popular and well -established brands also become “illegal’ after November.

These companies, and many more use ingredients like Glucosamine and Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) that both fall under the same classification as hemp because they are not recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) as legal feed ingredients.

From the Agency’s memorandum: Hemp or hemp-derived products, including CBD, are not recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) as legal feed ingredients. Similarly, Idaho law does not recognize hemp as a feed or remedy ingredient.

It does not make much sense trying to make sense of the Agency’s memorandum. Simply put, Hemp is legal. There is no good reason that Hemp Well products, or other NASC member company products would be held to higher standards than similar pet supplements in the marketplace.

The Agency does serve a purpose, and there does still exist inferior, wrongly labeled (adulterated) products that make improper claims for sale on many shelves. Regulators may justifiably target these products. Hemp Well and our peers stand behind the quality and lawfulness of our products, even in Idaho.

Some retailers will pull hemp products before November 1, 2022. Many will stand behind quality, properly-labelled, NASC approved, dosage form, hemp supplements for pets.

It will be up to retailers to decide what is best for their store, for their customers and for the safety and well-being of their pets.