US Senate votes to legalize hemp as agricultural commodity

The cultivation, processing and sale of industrial hemp may soon be legalized in the United States, after the Senate approved the Farm Bill last Thursday. If also approved by the House and sanctioned by president Donald Trump, the bill would cause hemp to be removed from the federal list of controlled substances, paving the way for states to regulate it and for hemp farmers to become eligible for crop insurance.

”Consumers across America buy hundreds of millions in retail products every year that contain hemp, but due to outdated federal regulations that do not sufficiently distinguish this industrial crop from its illicit cousin, American farmers have been mostly unable to meet that demand themselves”, said Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, during his floor speech.

Hemp offers a more sustainable alternative to cotton, as it requires less water and produces more fibers per acre. Hemp fabrics are also very resistant, which has prompted outdoor brands like Patagonia and Adidas to include it in their collections. Currently, most of the world’s hemp fiber is produced in China and Europe, as those regions do not prohibit the plant’s cultivation.