Hemp Farming Act of 2018

The Hemp Farming Act of 2018

was a proposed law to remove hemp (defined as cannabis with less than 0.3% THC) from  Schedule I controlled substances  and making it an ordinary agricultural commodity. Its provisions were incorporated in the  2018 United States farm bill  that became law on December 20, 2018.

In late March 2018,

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  announced he would introduce legislation legalizing hemp production in his state, Kentucky, and nationally. [1] [2] [3]  McConnell introduced the bill, S.2667, on the Senate floor on April 12, 2018, co-sponsored by Oregon senators  Ron Wyden and  Jeff Merkley. [4] [5]  McConnell announced that Representative  James Comer  of Kentucky would introduce a companion bill in the House of Representatives. [6]  The companion bill, H.R. 5485, was introduced on April 12, with Colorado Representative  Jared Polis co-sponsoring. [7]

In addition to  removing low-THC cannabis from regulation under the Controlled Substances Act, the 2018 act would avail hemp farmers of water rights and federal agricultural grants, and make the national banking system (in a gray area for cannabis industry [a]) accessible to farmers and others involved; and allow for other benefits of production of a recognized crop such as marketing, agronomy research, and crop insurance. [2] [8] [9]