Today May 1, 2024, both the House and Senate Ag. Committees released summaries of their proposal for the upcoming Farm Bill.
The 2018 Farm Bill was originally set to expire on September 30, 2023, but was extended through September 30, 2024 by the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (Nov. 15, 2023). Since then, the Agriculture community has eagerly anticipated the release of the upcoming Farm Bill proposals.
House Committee on Ag: 2024 Farm Bill
The House Agriculture Committee, chaired by Glenn "GT" Thompson published a high-level Title-by-Title overview. This overview provides a general summary of each title of the Farm Bill. In sharing the Title-by-Title overview, the Chairman commented,
"This bill is a product of an extensive and transparent process, which included soliciting feedback from Members of both political parties, stakeholder input from across the nation, and some tough conversations. Each title of this farm bill reflects a commitment to the American farmer and viable pathways to funding those commitments, and is equally responsive to the politics of the 118th Congress. The Committee on Agriculture will markup this bill on May 23, and I hope for unanimous support in this endeavor to bring stability to producers, protect our nation’s food security, and revitalize rural America." ~Chairman Thompson
Unfortunately, hemp is not mentioned in the overview. However, we anticipate the inclusion of pro-hemp policy reforms in the legislative text based on our conversations with the Chair and the House Ag Committee Membership.
Senate Ag Committee: Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act
The Senate Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, chaired by Debbie Stabenow, unveiled the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act including a detailed Section-By-Section Summary. In releasing details of the Act, the Committee provided "[t]he Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act reflects more than two years of bipartisan work on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and incorporates more than 100 bipartisan bills and the work of Senators on and off the Committee." In releasing the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act including Section-By-Section Summary, the Chairwoman commented,
“This is a serious proposal that reflects bipartisan priorities to keep farmers farming, families fed, and rural communities strong. The foundation of every successful Farm Bill is built on holding together the broad, bipartisan coalition of farmers, rural communities, nutrition and hunger advocates, researchers, conservationists, and the climate community. This is that bill, and I welcome my Republican colleagues to take it seriously and rejoin us at the negotiating table so we can finish our work by the end of the year. Farmers, families, and rural communities cannot wait any longer on the 2024 Farm Bill.” ~Chairwoman Stabenow
Regarding hemp, the Senate Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act Section-by-Section Summary specifically provides,
Sec. 10015. Hemp Production
• Defines “industrial hemp” and lowers regulatory barriers for farmers who are growing industrial hemp for grain and fiber.
• Eliminates the ban on persons who were previously convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance from participating in the program or producing hemp.
Read the full Senate Ag. Committee Section-By-Section Summary here.
The AgHS team is excited to see the House and Senate Agriculture Committees' movement on progressing a Farm Bill. The Senate Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act Section-by-Section Summary provides a positive indication we will see a new definition for industrial hemp, which AgHS has led the charge on with the National Hemp Association and IND Hemp for the past 2.5 years. Positive progress for hemp is around the corner! ~Courtney N. Moran, LL.M., AgHS Chief Legislative Strategist
We look forward to the publication of the full draft language from both the House and Senate.
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For any questions on this exciting news, connect with us at 202-656-7023 or campaigns@agriculturalhempsolutions.com.