[Effective 7/1/2024]

(a) The department of agriculture is responsible for:

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 43-27-205

  • Agriculture: means :
    (i) The land, buildings and machinery used in the commercial production of farm products and nursery stock. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Department: means the department of agriculture. See Tennessee Code 43-27-101
  • Manufacture: means to compound, blend, extract, infuse, cook, or otherwise make or prepare products containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid, including the processes of extraction, infusion, packaging, repackaging, labeling, and relabeling of products containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid. See Tennessee Code 43-27-202
  • Retailer: means a person or entity that sells products containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid for consumption and not for resale. See Tennessee Code 43-27-202
(1) Issuing licenses to suppliers and retailers under this part;
(2) Overseeing the manufacture and distribution of hemp-derived cannabinoid products by licensed suppliers, including ensuring compliance with labeling, product testing, and transportation requirements and conducting necessary inspections, prior to a product’s delivery or sale to a retailer; and
(3) Conducting random, unannounced inspections at locations where hemp-derived cannabinoids and products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids are manufactured, distributed, or sold to ensure compliance with this part.
(b) The department of revenue:

(1) Is responsible for ensuring retailers are in compliance with this part and applicable tax provisions under title 67, including § 67-6-232;
(2) Shall enforce this part in a manner that may reasonably be expected to reduce the extent to which non-compliant hemp-derived cannabinoid products are sold and shall conduct random, unannounced inspections at retail locations where such products are sold to ensure compliance with this part. The department of revenue shall determine the frequency of random, unannounced inspections required under this subdivision (b)(2); and
(3) Is authorized to confiscate non-compliant hemp-derived cannabinoid products as contraband in the manner described in title 53, chapter 11. All products that the department of revenue confiscates under this subdivision (b)(3) are subject to seizure and forfeiture pursuant to § 53-11-451.
(c) Each department shall submit an annual report to the general assembly describing in detail the department’s compliance and enforcement efforts under this part. The report must also be published and made available to the public on each department’s website.