Bill Would Reduce Hemp Farmer Burden

A bipartisan team of U.S. senators presented a bill in the Senate that would reduce the burden on industrial hemp farmers, according to The Dales Report.

Senator Jon Tester and Senator Mike Braun introduced bipartisan legislation dubbed the Industrial Hemp Act that would exempt farmers who exclusively cultivate industrial hemp from arduous background checks and expensive sampling and testing requirements.

These protocols would, however, remain for farmers growing cannabinoid hemp.

“Montana farmers don’t need government bureaucrats putting unnecessary burdens on their operations,” said Tester. “It’s time we cut red tape and make it easier for industrial hemp farmers to get their product to market. My bipartisan bill builds on Montana’s leadership on hemp policy and creates good-paying jobs for folks across rural America.”

The current U.S. Department of Agriculture rules require all hemp crops to be compliant, and crops are subject to testing while the end-use products made from industrial hemp have always been exempt from the Controlled Substances Act.

The new legislation would still require industrial hemp farmers to meet compliance standards but would not require background checks and testing protocols if their crops are in compliance.

Producers who go against these regulations would be banned from taking part in the hemp program for five years.