Legislation legalizing hemp included in Senate farm bill 2018

The Senate Agriculture Committee unveiled its version of the farm bill Friday, including a path to legalizing industrial hemp. That’s an effort being pushed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose state, Kentucky, is a leader in the crop.

The bill would legalize hemp, removing it from the federal list of controlled substances and allowing it to be sold as an agricultural commodity.

It would also allow states to regulate hemp, as well as allow hemp researchers to apply for grants from the Agriculture Department and make hemp farmers eligible for crop insurance, according to McConnell’s office.

McConnell said the full chamber wants to vote before July 4.

Sources: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/391389-legislation-legalizing-hemp-included-in-senate-farm-bill and https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Agriculture%20Improvement%20Act%20of%202018.pdf and http://www.kunc.org/post/senate-sticks-bipartisan-path-farm-bill-which-includes-hemp-legalization