Through the Continuing Resolution passed by Congress and signed into law on Oct 1., the extension of 2014 Farm Bill Hemp Pilot Program was granted, much to the relief of farmers in Oregon and nationwide.
This news came on the heels of letters sent to Secretary Sonny Perdue on September 29 by the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture and key Oregon Farm organizations. The Oregon Industrial Hemp Farmers Assocaition (OIHFA), together with the Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Family Farm Association and Southern Oregon Hemp Co-op, sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, requesting an extension of the 2014 Farm Bill pilot program and implementation of the USDA Interim Final Rules given the unique challenges of 2020. The Oregon Department of Agriculture sent a similar letter that same day:
This crop has so much potential for Oregon growers if regulations are handled well…The state and the industry have learned a number of lessons during the last six years, but this year has been one of the most challenging.” ~Alexis Taylor, Director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture
Capital Press spoke to our Founding Principal Courtney N. Moran, LL.M. about the letters and the pilot program extension in this article:
OIHFA continues to advocate for an additional extentsion of the 2014 Farm Bill pilot program authority to January 1, 2022 to avoid a change in regulation mid-harvest.
If you have any questions about what the 2014 Farm Bill Pilot Progam Extension means for your business and THC compliance requirements, please contact us to schedule a consultation.