USDA: Hemp Rules Will Take Some Time

When will there be guidance for farmers interested in growing hemp?

After the 2018 Farm Bill gave farmers the green light to grow hemp, the USDA was tasked with coming up with rules and regulations for the new, and somewhat controversial crop.  Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said it's going to take some time.

"We're proceeding very judiciously obviously because of the uniqueness of the crop hemp and its uh relationship to other crops we're not encouraging."

So, when will the USDA authorize hemp guidelines?

"We don't believe it will be until the 2020 planting season until we can have uh the definitive uh rules regarding hemp," Perdue added.

The Ag Secretary acknowledged there are a lot of farmers that are chomping at the bit, but he warned about jumping headlong into it and creating a situation "where productive farmers overcompensate and blow out a market before it can get started."

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