FoodChain ID Named Official Certification Body of the U.S. Hemp Authority

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, February 21, 2020 (Newswire.com) - ​​​​FoodChain ID, one of the world’s leading food safety, testing, and sustainability organizations, is now the exclusive certifying body for the U.S. Hemp Authority^TM [USHA] Certification seal.

USHA Certification helps farmers, product manufacturers, marketers, and retailers secure mainstream market share by appealing to consumer and trade concerns about the veracity of product claims and serves to legitimize the evolving Hemp/CBD consumer product category.

“With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp’s extracts such as CBD with a THC level of not more than 0.3 percent (as distinct from marijuana), are no longer illegal controlled substances under federal law and are becoming more prevalent in food, beverage, and health and wellness,” said Mark Dabroski, senior vice president, commercial services.

“Hemp seed oil and protein markets have been increasing exponentially over the last decade,” noted Dabroski. “With the category’s expected growth at a 46% CAGR to reach $2.8B by 2023[1], the need for self-regulation and transparency are critical.”

According to USHA President Marielle Weintraub, “The U.S. Hemp Authority Certification Program is our industry’s initiative to provide high standards, best practices, and self-regulation, giving consumers an easy way to identify hemp-derived products that can be trusted. We are striving for ingredient transparency and truth in labeling.”

In an effort funded by the U.S. Hemp Roundtable and joined by organizations such as the Hemp Industries Association^®, industry-leading firms, top-tier testing laboratories, agronomists, and quality assessors, USHA developed comprehensive guidance for growers, processors/manufacturers, and brand owners of ingestible and cosmetic hemp products. Participants are licensed to use the Certified Seal of the U.S. Hemp Authority after meeting stringent self-regulatory standards, passing an independent third-party audit, and entering into a Licensing Agreement.

Weintraub noted that the organization’s standards and practices are consistently updated and improved. A public session on the effort will be held at the upcoming Natural Products Expo West on March 2 in Anaheim, CA.

Widely recognized for the development, implementation, and marketing of the highly recognized Non-GMO Project Verification labeling standard, FoodChain ID offers specialized services for the food, beverage, ingredient and food component (i.e. grain) industries, spanning the entire food supply chain and is also a leader in USDA Organic certification.

“As consumers increasingly demand to know what is in the foods and products they buy, our suite of testing and verification services helps meet this demand,” says Dabroski.

About FoodChain ID

The FoodChain ID Group, with operations across North & South America, Europe, and Asia, is a market-leading platform dedicated to providing the food industry a technology-enabled food safety, quality, and sustainability solutions. Serving more than 30,000 clients in over 100 countries with a market-leading portfolio of testing, inspection, certification, and consulting services, the FoodChain ID Group’s holistic solutions ensure the safety and quality of the entire food supply chain against a backdrop of increasingly complex regulations and heightened consumer requirements, including safety, transparency, authenticity, health, and sustainability that define the “New Food Economy.”

FoodChain ID is an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory known for consistently accurate test results and standard 3-days-turn-around time. Services for the hemp/CBD market include testing for CBD profile, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and terpenes.  Additional services for hemp/CBD include GFSI (including SQF, BRC & Global GAP), USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verification. These services will be featured at FoodChain ID’s booth at Natural Products Expo West, Booth 2177, March 5-7, 2020.

Source: FoodChain ID