Farm Bill Agreement Would Legalize Industrial Hemp
The final text of the 2018 Farm Bill was unveiled this Monday, and industrial hemp legalization made the cut. The bipartisan provision will enable U.S. farmers to cultivate, process and sell hemp.
Under the legislation, hemp would no longer be in the jurisdiction of the Justice Department. Instead, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will lightly regulate the crop. The legislation will cost $867 billion over 10 years, according to House committee staffers. Of course … it’s not law just yet.
The bill must still pass both the House and the Senate and be signed into law by the president. If the bill passes and President Trump signs it, hemp legalization will go into effect on Jan. 1.
