Kentucky Congressman Introduces New Hemp Legislation
Kentucky has a large hemp industry, and Senator Paul Rand does not want federal regulations to burden farmers unnecessarily. He introduced a new Senate bill called the Hemp Economic Mobilization (HEMP) Act that would increase the amount of allowed THC (delta-9) in hemp and require new testing and shipping requirements that benefit farmers.
The HEMP ACT recommends several changes to the Farm Bill.
- Increases the amount of THC currently allowed in hemp per the Farm Bill from 0.3% to 1%.
- Requires testing of hemp-derived products instead of hemp plant or flower.
- Requires hemp shipments to be documented during transport with documentation including a valid license from the State Department of Agriculture or Tribal Government and a copy of a certificate from a laboratory showing the hemp does not contain more than 1% THC on a dry weight basis.
- The measure of uncertainty for THC content cannot exceed .075%.
There are good reasons for Senator Paul’s changes. Testing hemp-derived products rather than hemp plants or flowers is in response to farmers complaining that testing the hemp plant is time-consuming and that other things can affect hemp products. The documentation requirements for shipment are intended to prevent the seizure of legal hemp during transport.
It is important to note that Senator Paul’s bill starkly contrasts the one introduced by Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon in September. While Senator Wyden’s bill leans towards more federal regulations and a ban on certain cannabinoids, Senator Paul’s bill takes a different approach. He aims to reduce government bureaucracy and alleviate the burdensome requirements that Kentucky’s farmers and producers currently face.
Senator Paul said,
“For years, I’ve led the fight in Washington to restore one of Kentucky’s most historically vital crops by legalizing industrial hemp. We achieved a hard-won victory, but there is still work to do to prevent the federal government from weighing down our farmers with unnecessary bureaucratic micromanaging. My legislation will help this growing industry reach its full economic potential and bring transparency to government regulations.”
The Farm Bill is supposed to be updated every five years, which would have been 2023. The ongoing political budgetary gridlock is preventing the necessary updates, leaving hemp farmers and product producers in a state of uncertainty. The delay is a cause for concern, but there is hope that a new five-year farm bill will be passed during the upcoming lame-duck session of Congress.
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