In case you missed it, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) recently weighed in on the critical hemp industry reform debate. As Congress considers disastrous changes to hemp regulations, members of the opposition to the hemp industry are deluded in their mission to curb the hemp industry’s growth. US Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) are off base when it comes to their efforts to outright ban consumable hemp products with any “quantifiable amount” of THC. While the Senate has since pulled the language as of July, U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) has advanced similar language through the House Appropriations Committee that would effectively ban 90% of currently legal and safe hemp products. Meaning, a decision to save or destroy a multibillion-dollar industry is dwindling as the September fiscal year deadline is on the horizon.
This misguided push would devastate hard-working Americans. The U.S. hemp industry has skyrocketed in recent years, evolving into a multi-billion-dollar economic force involving small businesses and farmers across the country. This expansion has occurred under current federal regulations that permit hemp cultivation with THC concentrations up to 0.3% – substantially below typical marijuana levels. The hemp industry currently not only brings in significant GDP for America but also creates hundreds of thousands of jobs across America, and provides safe relief for some of America’s most vulnerable, like our Veterans.
“Members of Congress pushing for increased federal restrictions on hemp are ignoring the voices of American farmers and small business owners in their districts who depend on this agricultural commodity for their livelihoods. Before devastating an entire sector that President Trump helped legalize through the 2018 Farm Bill, these lawmakers should sit down with hemp farmers and industry leaders in their states to understand the real-world impact of their proposed overreach. Rolling back this progress would crush rural economies and destroy thousands of jobs in communities across America,” said Hemp Industry and Farmers of America Executive Director Brian Swensen.
Read the full story in Courier Journal.
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About Hemp Industry & Farmers of America (HIFA): HIFA is a nonpartisan coalition of hemp industry advocates representing the interests of all sectors – from farmers, veterans, and manufacturers to retail stores.
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