U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) praised this week’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that it will create a consistent regulatory framework around U.S. hemp production, a move that recognizes hemp as an agricultural activity.
“Legalized hemp has the potential to be a major boon to agricultural communities across Colorado, giving farmers another viable and profitable option for their fields,” Sen. Gardner said. The senator has worked on several pieces of legislation to clearly define hemp as an agricultural commodity and remove it from the list of controlled substances.
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced on Tuesday that the agency would establish the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program, as required by the 2018 Farm Bill. The USDA said an interim final rule that formalizes the program, to be published this week in the Federal Register, will allow hemp to be grown under federally approved plans and makes hemp producers eligible for a number of agricultural programs.
The rule also will allow the USDA to approve hemp production plans developed by states and tribes.
“On my annual farm tour this summer, I visited a hemp processing plant that is bringing dozens of jobs and millions of dollars of investments to rural Colorado,” Gardner said, adding that he looks forward to the interim final rule becoming effective.