Health committee  Health Canada has done a lot of work over the last 19 years since the industrial hemp regulations were put in place, including annual inspections of every field. As a licensed producer, we actually submit every year—up until this year—samples from our fields to confirm that the p

Health committee  By looking at the plant, you can't tell. It's the same species, but the breeding has been fundamentally different. By the visual distinguishing characteristics of the physical plants, you couldn't tell the difference; you couldn't tell them apart.

Health committee  Yes, that's correct.

Health committee  As we understand it, the industry would continue to operate within the paradigm of the industrial hemp regulations, which we support.

Health committee  The species of the plant is cannabis sativa. That's the plant species, but hemp has been created by plant breeders breeding out the THC content. It's the same species, but it's a fundamentally different product.

Health committee  Yes.

Health committee  Right. As a licensed cultivator of hemp, we have to apply for a licence every year, as do all the farmers who grow hemp and all the processors we can sell to. We can't sell our hemp seed or our hemp grain except to processors or buyers who also have a Health Canada licence. We ap

Health committee  As we understand the history of the industrial hemp regulations, there was a precautionary principle applied to keep hemp within the CDSA schedule, just until there could be enough learning about why—

Health committee  It seems to have been, and we've had some dialogue with Health Canada about it. The issue is—

Health committee  Yes.

Health committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. We very much appreciate the opportunity to appear before the standing committee. My name is Keith Jones. I am on the board of directors of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance. In my day job I'm a general manager of Rowland Farms, which is a large fa