Wisconsin Bill Seeks to Protect State’s Hemp Farmers from Federal Crackdown 

A bill proposed in Wisconsin seeks to protect the state’s hemp industry
from the federal crackdown on hemp-derived THC products by aligning state
rules with those included in the recently passed federal spending bill, Wisconsin
Public Radio reports. The bipartisan legislation imposes an age limit of
21-and-older on the sale of intoxicating hemp products, requires hemp
cultivators to have their crops tested by an independent laboratory, and
mandate that hemp-derived THC products be sold in child-resistant
packaging.

The bill would also impose a 10 milligrams of THC limit per serving and
would not allow containers with more than two servings

Jay Selthofner, owner of Heritage Hemp Farm, told WPR that the federal ban
effectively leaves hemp regulation up to the states and that lawmakers are
trying to protect the state’s hemp industry from the federal ban by moving
state regulations from U.S. Department of Agriculture oversight to state
oversight.

“Being able to run our own program protects us a lot more than not doing
that and allows the state to control much more aspects of it than just
relying on a federal program that could be conceived as loosely written.” —
Selthofner to WPR

The proposal also includes language bypassing the state Department of
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection before a district attorney or
U.S. Department of Justice could prosecute violations of the new rules,
which is required under current state law.

The bill is currently in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue.