Federal Proposal Seeks to Delay Incoming Hemp Product Crackdown

A bipartisan bill proposed in the U.S. House on Tuesday aims to provide a
two-year extension on hemp provisions included in the Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency
Appropriations bill that restricts the definition of legal hemp.

In a statement, Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) the bill’s sponsor, said an extension
is needed because “Planting and growing crops requires planning well in
advance.”

“Congress created a regulatory environment in the 2018 Farm Bill that
allowed for certain investments, and farmers were operating within this
environment. The hemp provision included in the Continuing Resolution and
Appropriations bills passed in November 2025 disrupted planting decisions
that had already been made. Congress should not have passed such a sweeping
policy change that upends a growing industry. Instead, Congress should have
given farmers more time, creating a more stable environment for farmers
to modify their future planting decisions.” — Baird in a press release

In a statement, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), House Oversight and Accountability
chair and co-sponsor of the legislation, called the Hemp Planting
Predictability Act a “common-sense extension (that) gives farmers and
America’s hemp industry the time they need to adapt while Congress works to
establish a clear, reasonable regulatory framework.”

Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), House Agriculture Committee ranking member and
co-sponsor, said in a statement the new rules “pulled the rug out from
under Minnesota’s hemp producers, craft brewers, and retailers at a time
when too many business owners are already dealing with high prices and
uncertainty.”

Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO), a co-sponsor, in a statement noted that his
district is home to 59 operating hemp facilities that play a role in the
state’s economy, “and help thousands of veterans access products that
improve their physical and mental health.”

In a statement, Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the U.S. Hemp
Roundtable, said the bill “puts more time on the clock for thoughtful
policymaking and gives farmers greater clarity as they make decisions ahead
of upcoming planting seasons.”

“With the right approach,” Miller added, “hemp can continue to be a
well-regulated agricultural product that contributes to rural economies and
serves consumers responsibly.”

The bill is currently in the House Agriculture Committee.