Congress on Wednesday stiffened restrictions on hemp, a form of the cannabis plant that was legalized in the 2018 farm bill, triggering protests from producers who have come to rely on the now multibillion-dollar industry as a source of income.
The new law aims to close a legal loophole that lets market players sell unregulated food and beverages containing hemp-derived psychoactive compounds. The rules set a stricter limit on the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the intoxicating chemical also found in marijuana, that a hemp product can contain.
Hemp was once on the federal controlled substances list, but it was removed by lawmakers who, seven years ago, touted the crop's potential to boost farmers' income. It can be used to make products such as rope, clothing and food. Hemp was especially welcomed by Kentucky farmers, who hoped the commodity could offset losses from falling tobacco sales.
The wider hemp industry is now estimated to be worth $30 billion, according to the Cannabis Farmers Alliance, an industry group representing cannabis growers.
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