(PRESS RELEASE) SUN CITY WEST, AZ – The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) and Bark n’ Purr Boise will co-host a community rally on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m. local time to alert stakeholders about the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s (ISDA) decision to stop the sale of animal feeds and remedies containing hemp and CBD.
On July 20, 2022, the ISDA released a memo that stated in part:
“Effective November 1, 2022, ISDA will be inspecting for hemp and hemp-derived animal feeds and remedies. These products are not legal in Idaho, and if found on or after November 1, 2022, will be subject to a stop sale and further action from the department.”
The NASC, as well as Bark n’ Purr owner Jen Willett, oppose this decision for a number of reasons, including the serious economic impact removal of these products could have on Idaho-based businesses that manufacture and sell them, as well as the harm that could befall animals if their owners are no longer able to access the products their pets rely on for a variety of health and wellness reasons.
“Removing hemp-derived products from the marketplace is absolutely the wrong answer,” said Bill Bookout, NASC president. “Doing so paves the way for a black-market industry populated by unscrupulous suppliers hawking questionable products that could actually end up harming the animals that pet owners are trying to help. Or, pet owners may turn to human products that aren’t formulated for pets, or that contain THC and are not safe for animals. There is simply no basis for removing pet owner access to quality products supplied by responsible companies.”
The cultivation of hemp was legalized by the U.S. federal government as part of the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp was defined in the legislation as cannabis that contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the compound in the plant that causes psychotropic effects. Concentrations above 0.3% are considered marijuana. Hemp-derived animal health supplements have been allowed to be marketed for years without significant regulatory action or negative health effects.
“There have been no significant issues in which negative effects for animal health have been reported for hemp products,” Bookout said. “Data from post-market monitoring along with safety studies show that hemp and cannabinoids, including CBD, do not pose undue risk to companion animals.”
The rally is for anyone that will be impacted by this drastic action planned by the ISDA, including stakeholders in the hemp and pet industries, pet product retailers, elected officials who wish to better understand this issue, and of course the pet parents who risk losing access to these products for their animals. Bookout and Willett will lead the rally and attendees will have the opportunity to voice their concerns about the ISDA’s decision.
“We are organizing this rally for one simple reason,” Willett said. “Removal of these products from store shelves and e- commerce will negatively impact hundreds of Idaho businesses and hundreds of thousands of animals.”
Rally Details
Date: Saturday, Sept. 24
Time: 1 p.m. MDT
Location: Bark n’ Purr Boise, 1036 S. Vista Ave., Boise, ID 83705 Contact: Bill Bookout, b.bookout@nasc.cc, +1 (760) 751-3360 x101 Contact: Jen Willett, barknpurrboise@gmail.com, +1 (208) 345-8886 Website
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About the National Animal Supplement Council
The National Animal Supplement Council is a nonprofit trade association whose mission is twofold: to promote the health and wellbeing of companion animals and horses given animal health supplements by their owners and to protect and enhance the animal health supplement industry. The NASC began in 2001 as a grassroots effort with 18 dedicated founding member companies and today is the leading voice for the industry, representing 300 suppliers of animal health supplements. The NASC Quality Program and audit verification provide a roadmap to quality and consistency for NASC members and are widely recognized as the Gold Standard in the industry. Look for the yellow NASC Quality Seal on supplements for dogs, cats, and horses to know you are buying from a responsible supplier that has passed a comprehensive third-party audit and maintains ongoing compliance with rigorous NASC quality requirements. For more information, visit www.animalsupplements.org.
About Bark n’ Purr Boise
Bark n’ Purr is a locally-owned pet store offering customers a fun place to bring their pets and check out the latest and greatest in toys, treats, food and accessories. Bark n’ Purr offers great products at reasonable prices with friendly and exceptionally knowledgeable service at their convenient location in Central Boise. Bark n’ Purr strives to offer the absolute best organic and all-natural foods and wants its products to be worry-free for customers. They go to great lengths to source only the best items for their customers’ companions. Bark n’ Purr offers in-store and online shopping, as well as curbside pickup.