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UNPA signs MOU with the Hemp Industries Association

05-Jun-2019 - Last updated on 05-Jun-2019 at 16:30 GMT

The United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Phoenix-based Hemp Industries Association (HIA). The agreement is an effort to advance hemp extract product research, safety, identity and quality standards.

‘The agreement recognizes that such cooperation between the dietary supplement and hemp industries will advance consumer confidence, industry standards and regulatory compliance,” explained UNPA in a release.

“UNPA has spent a great amount of time and energy evaluating appropriate relationships within the hemp and cannabis community,” said Loren Israelsen, UNPA president. “Organizationally, we wanted to better understand the fundamentals of the hemp industry, including farming, processing and extraction systems. UNPA fully supports the movement to hemp and its many uses. The health benefits and consumer interest in hemp extracts, CBD and the other cannabinoids have become an important part of our work.

“This MOU with the Hemp Industries Association advances these interests as the dietary supplement and hemp industries become allies in the commercial sector, as well as within regulatory, farm and foreign policy areas. We hope to help the hemp industry in its efforts to be fully compliant with food and supplement regulations, and to share our expertise in good manufacturing practices and quality compliance. We think this sharing of resources and expertise will add value for both organizations and both industries.”

According to UNPA, part of the agreement involved the two organizations cooperating on Food Safety Modernization Act, Good Manufacturing Practice Section 111, Preventive Controls Qualified Individual and Foreign Supplier Verification Programs training and education.

HIA is also supporting the promotion of UNPA’s upcoming educational training, Preventive Controls for Foods, Dietary Supplements and Botanically Derived Products and Ingredients, which includes hemp and hemp-oil ingredients and products, being held June 26-28, in Denver.

“On behalf of the HIA and its leadership, I am thrilled that UNPA qualifies our association for this important partnership,” said Colleen Keahey Lanier, HIA executive director. “HIA members deserve to have the best information and training available to them. We look forward to sharing more information about the hemp industries, learning from UNPA and also advancing agreed-upon initiatives along the way.”