Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D) warned voters on Thursday not to reelect members of Congress seeking to ban hemp. “Hemp is really important to Kentucky. It supports a lot of Kentucky farmers, and there are positive uses of hemp,” Beshear said at a press conference on Thursday.
“Do we need to make sure that children are protected from the delta-8 or other products? Yes, but we, as a [state] government, ought to be able to do that.”
Beshear stated that the currently planned ban on hemp THC product would “decimate the hemp industry.” “I do not support it,” he said. “Give states the ability to to fully and fairly regulate it.” He argued that state governments should retain the authority to manage the sector rather than facing federal prohibition.
Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. However, late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12.
That said, Senate recently approved a funding bill that includes a provision to delay the effective date of most parts of the hemp product ban until December 11 a move that was supported by the White House. While that change has not yet been approved by the House of Representatives or enacted into law, industry supporters believe it could give them more time to convince Congress to enact a regulatory structure for hemp products as an alternative to broad prohibition.
Beshear’s comments highlight the political stakes surrounding the upcoming elections. He urged voters to consider the impact of federal actions on local agriculture.
Industry supporters view the potential delay as a crucial window to advocate for a regulatory framework. Beshear maintained that the current legislative path threatens the livelihoods of Kentucky farmers who rely on hemp for income.
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