SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – With congressional lawmakers focusing largely on reopening the government, policies are passing through unnoticed.
This includes one piece of legislation that would all but eliminate the hemp industry.
“There’s no good way to cut it; it was bad news for the industry,” John Peterson, Owner of Dakota Hemp, said.
The $26 billion hemp industry is now left scrambling.
“I guess that’s what they’re proposing; we never thought that hemp would end up being in the bill that would reopen the government on this. But part of that was putting in that limit of 0.4 Milligrams per container,” Peterson said.
0.4 Milligrams essentially bans THC drinks and edibles, which at least have 2 milligrams per container.
“Any ban in the hemp industry can trickle down to all facets of the hemp industry too, eventually, and we want to see upward growth, especially with the grain and fiber end of it. We know South Dakota farmers are going to excel in this,” Peterson said.
South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association board member Ken Meyer said the ban would hurt over 95% of the hemp industry’s products.
“It’s making the THC seem to be the bad thing of the plant. THC is a necessary part of the hemp plant. It’s just about the levels and the right regulation and looking at the purpose for which the hemp plant is being grown,” said Meyer.
Meyer said he hopes the legislation will get more attention before it becomes law.
“The hope would be that people will sit down and say, ‘Let’s get the regulations in place that everyone is comfortable with for safety, age-gate some of these products that are intoxicating and move forward on that basis,‘” Meyer said.
He added that he has concerns over lawmakers becoming so harsh on hemp products and that it could have unfortunate complications when it comes to banking and insurance for the industry as a whole.
This includes the grain and fiber side of the industry, which is what Meyer and Peterson primarily grow (Peterson says he grows one acre of CBD hemp, compared to 360 acres of grain or fiber hemp), and includes non-cannabinoid products such as building materials, plastics, and textiles.
The regulations would take effect a year after being signed by President Trump, Peterson said from what he is hearing, the Congressional House is expected to pass the regulation as the Senate did.
The House voted on Wednesday evening to end the shutdown and pass the regulation.
