A bill in the U.S. Senate that has support from both parties would make it easier for hemp farmers to grow and sell grain and fiber. The bill, which was proposed last week by Sens. John Tester (D-MT) and Mike Braun (R-IN), would end background checks for farmers who only grow crops for fiber or grain, and it would also end the requirement that samples and tests be done on crops that are only grown for fiber or grain.
According to Ganjapreneur, Erica Stark, the executive director of the National Hemp Association, said in a statement that the current federal regulatory framework “revolves around the perceived risk of cannabinoids,” which “makes it untenable for hemp to be placed in a rotation with other common commodity crops like corn, soy, or wheat.”
Braun stated in a press release, “It’s important that we set American farmers up for success by cutting burdensome regulations and red tape. This legislation will expand opportunities for industrial hemp producers in Indiana and across the country and allow them to tap into one of the fastest growing agricultural markets.”
The bill is in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry right now.
