Hemp supporters are hailing the federal Farm Bill that Congress will vote on in coming days. The bipartisan agreement is expected to clear the House and Senate. The measure contains a provision that allows universities and state agriculture departments to grow hemp for research purposes.
“Hemp has this long history in the United States, but that history pretty much ended in the 1950s, and all the genetics are lost. We need to have research on new varieties," says Eric Steenstra, president of the advocacy group Vote Hemp. "A lot of things have changed in the last 60 years, and there are new markets and opportunities.”
Kentucky lawmakers passed a bill last year that allows industrial hemp production if a federal ban is lifted.
“For months, we have tried to get some assurance at the federal level that Kentucky producers can grow industrial hemp without fear of government harassment or prosecution. This is what we’ve been waiting for,” Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said in a news release.
Comers hails the Farm Bill provision as a giant step toward restoring the crop, which used to make products ranging from clothes to cosmetics.
Hemp was banned decades ago when the government classified it as a controlled substance related to marijuana.
Eleven states, including Tennessee, have introduced hemp legislation this year.
