The U.S. House Agriculture Committee has approved a sweeping new farm bill that includes several provisions related to hemp production, but lawmakers declined to adopt amendments that would have delayed a looming federal ban on THC-containing hemp products.
The panel voted 34–17 this week to advance the 2026 Farm Bill following a multiday markup session. Hemp industry stakeholders had hoped the legislation might provide relief from a policy change set to take effect later this year that would dramatically restrict the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products. However, attempts to postpone the policy were ultimately set aside.
Jim Baird (R-IN) had introduced two amendments ahead of the markup that would have pushed back the timeline for the federal crackdown. One proposal would have delayed the implementation by one year, while the other sought a two-year extension to allow time for lawmakers and regulators to craft a broader framework for products containing intoxicating cannabinoids.
Baird was not present during the committee meeting due to the recent death of his wife. The amendment proposing a two-year delay was presented on his behalf by Angie Craig (D-MN), the committee’s ranking member. Craig argued the current timeline has created uncertainty for farmers, processors and retailers across the country.
She criticized Congress for including the THC provisions in a spending package last year, saying the move created sudden policy changes that are now affecting planning decisions across the hemp sector. Craig called for a comprehensive federal regulatory framework that would establish safety standards, protect consumers and provide clear rules for businesses while allowing the industry to continue developing.
But committee chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) ruled that Baird’s amendments were not germane to the farm bill, noting that broader regulation of consumable cannabinoid products falls primarily under the jurisdiction of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Although the committee did not address the THC ban timeline, the base bill includes multiple provisions aimed at supporting industrial hemp growers. Among other changes, the measure would expand access to laboratories for hemp testing and provide states and tribal governments greater flexibility in designing regulatory plans for hemp grown for fiber and grain.
The debate comes as farmers, retailers and policymakers across the country grapple with the future of hemp-derived products that have proliferated since the legalization of hemp under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Unless Congress intervenes, the new federal restrictions on THC-related cannabinoids are expected to take effect later this year, potentially reshaping a rapidly expanding sector of the cannabis market.
Read the whole article from MarijuanaMoment here.
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