Apr
02
It's been a busy legislative session for hemp in Indiana, and next week is no exception. In addition to HB 1224 being heard in committee on Monday, we wanted to alert you to an amendment that was added to a 127-page bill that negatively impacts the hemp industry in Indiana. On Wednesday, the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code added an amendment to SB 197 that would represent a significant policy shift away from the black letter law of the 2018 Farm Bill in Indiana. The amendment was taken by consent, with only the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council testifying in support of the amendment and with no opportunity for input from the hemp industry.
The hemp industry, just like any other industry in Indiana, needs certainty and uniformity in order to be successful. While reasonable minds can disagree on the intent of the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress continues to focus on ensuring that USDA has sole regulatory jurisdiction over all derivatives, extracts and cannabinoids coming from the hemp plant and ending any claim of DEA jurisdiction over hemp and hemp processing. This intent was expressed yet again in a letter submitted this week to the Attorney General of the United States and the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture asking for the agencies to meet jointly with industry stakeholders to resolve nearly universal concerns with the DEA’s Interim Final Rule.
The Midwest Hemp Council has been hard at work educating lawmakers on the negative impact the amendment would have on farmers and the whole hemp plant economy in Indiana. While we are cautiously optimistic about our progress to date, we may need to activate you and the rest of our strong grassroots foundation to engage lawmakers on the issue. Be on the lookout for an update next week from your only source of timely and accurate information about the whole hemp plant economy in Indiana.
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