Farm Bill extension delays hemp industry reforms

Congress has passed a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, leaving the future of the U.S. hemp industry uncertain. Lawmakers included the extension in a 1,547-page spending bill released Dec. 17 to avert a partial government shutdown. The move delays a comprehensive five-year farm bill reauthorization until at least 2024.

The spending measure also provides $10 billion in emergency economic assistance to farmers. U.S. House Agriculture Committee chairman Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said the funds address significant losses due to weather and market-related challenges. “This addition of economic support is an important financial bridge,” Thompson said.

While the extension maintains funding for programs critical to farmers, it does not address key issues related to hemp. Changes to hemp definitions or regulations, including cannabinoids like delta-8 and delta-9 THC, are deferred to the future reauthorization of the farm bill.

Senate Agriculture Committee chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., criticized Republicans for not including conservation funding in the measure, stating, “It’s shocking that Republican leadership failed to support such a common-sense and bipartisan proposal.”

Farmers and greenhouse growers must navigate continued uncertainty, especially regarding hemp, as legislative reforms remain stalled.