C*****S

Developing a new hemp cultivar takes years of work, and breeders use several legal tools to protect that investment. Ownership of cbd-rich hemp genetics may be secured through plant variety rights, plant patents, or licensing agreements that restrict propagation by the buyer. Some contracts prohibit saving seed or taking cuttings for the following season. Reading the terms attached to a purchase clarifies what a grower is allowed to do with the plants beyond a single harvest.