Congress Votes to Extend Hemp Pilot Program

The U.S. Senate and House both passed a continuing resolution to provide short-term funding for the government—included in the package is the extension of the hemp pilot program through September 2021. First introduced after the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, the program opened up the opportunity for farmers to grow hemp, as long as states received approval by the USDA. The pilot was slated to expire, with states being given until Oct. 31, 2020 to provide final plans for USDA approval. With the onset of COVID-19 and subsequent challenges for individuals, businesses, and government alike, states struggled to finalize such plans. The USDA also extended the comment period on the hemp interim final rule related to the pilot.