Will The 2018 Farm Bill Pass?
And what does it say about legalizing industrial hemp?
The House/Senate Conference Committee met today to discuss their differences regarding the 2018 Farm Act. With the 2014 Farm Act set to expire on September 30, 2018, all the members of the Committee agree that they need to pass the 2018 Farm Act quickly to protect farmers. They also all seem to agree about the most of the provisions in the Act regarding Hemp. For instance, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made it clear that we need permanent legalization of industrial hemp to give farmers certainty and security. Not surprisingly, James Comer, also from Kentucky, issued a press release speaking to the success of the industrial hemp pilot programs and stated that he believes it is time to remove hemp from the controlled substances schedule and place it under the USDA as an agriculture product. In fact, there were no members of the committee that spoke negatively about hemp. So where do they disagree? SNAP of course! The two sides are divided regarding the work requirements for those that receive SNAP benefits.
With that disagreement aside, it looks like we may see the 2018 Farm Act on the president’s desk before the end of the month.
