Hemp

Hemp is the U.S. legal category for Cannabis sativa containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis.

The definition comes from the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the federal controlled-substances list and placed its cultivation under USDA oversight. Hemp is grown for fiber, seed, and cannabinoid-rich flower; nearly all nonprescription CBD sold in the United States is extracted from hemp flower. Hemp seed oil, by contrast, comes from the seed and contains essentially no cannabinoids, a frequent source of label confusion.

Legally, hemp status is determined by testing, not by appearance or the grower's intent; a crop that tests above the threshold is not hemp. Being hemp-derived does not by itself make a product FDA-approved, and the FDA has not authorized CBD as a food additive or dietary supplement. Pet products labeled hemp fall under the same regulatory framework, and the AVMA advises owners to discuss any hemp product with a veterinarian.