Debra BorchardtAcknowledging his constituents, Kentucky hemp farmers, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced his Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act, which would increase the amount of THC available in legal hemp.
Paul said he brought the legislation in order to address federal overreach and bring “bring transparency to government regulations.”
The 2018 Farm Bill defined legal hemp as having 0.3% of the psychoactive element of THC. That designation was meant to address the trace amounts of THC that typically appear in industrial hemp products but was seen as low enough not to cause an experience of being high. However, the hemp market has exploded with products well beyond what many call an “arbitrary” limit.
Paul’s legislation would amend the THC limit for hemp from 0.3% to 1%. Additionally, to help prevent legal hemp from being seized during transport, the bill requires that hemp shipments be accompanied by one of two easily accessible types of documentation, including:
- A valid license or other required authorization from the State Department of Agriculture or Tribal government.
- A certificate from a laboratory demonstrating that the hemp contains a THC concentration of not more than 1% on a dry weight basis.
“For years, I’ve led the fight in Washington to restore one of Kentucky’s most historically vital crops by legalizing industrial hemp,” Paul said in a statement. “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 also requires testing of hemp-derived products rather than the hemp flower or plant itself. Farmers have complained that testing the initial product was time-consuming and that the final product could be affected by other factors.
Paul’s legislation comes just days after Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the Cannabinoid Safety and Regulation Act. Green Market Report previously wrote that that bill would create a comprehensive regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabinoid products under the Food and Drug Administration’s oversight. It would also set a federal age limit of 21 for purchasing hemp-derived products and establish manufacturing, testing and labeling requirements.
The Farm Bill was due for an update in 2023, but it was delayed and has now been written as the 2024 Farm Bill, which has seen competing versions between the House and Senate. This week, a temporary government spending budget was approved, but the Farm Bill wasn’t included.
Some provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill are set to expire on Sept. 30, however, the crop year goes to December.
U.S. Rep. GT Thompson, a Pennsylvania Republican who serves as chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, told Brownfield Ag News that the USDA determined that only a few ag-related issues needed to be resolved before the current extension expires.
He said Congress is focused on passing a new five-year farm bill during the lame-duck session.
HEMPACT
