The Hemp Feed Coalition voiced support for the House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026, and urged the U.S. Senate and President Trump to act quickly to advance and finalize this important legislation. The House Clerk’s official records show the bill was considered April 30,, following floor debate and amendment votes.
“We are grateful to our contacts on the House Agriculture Committee, in both the majority and minority, for their hard work in getting this bill across the finish line despite countless challenges and setbacks,” Coalition President Andrew Bish said. “This is an important win for the industrial hemp industry and a meaningful step toward a more rational, workable regulatory framework.”
At the center of the Coalition’s support is the bill’s industrial hemp language, which creates a clearer distinction between producers growing only industrial hemp and producers growing hemp for other purposes. The bill also allows State, Tribal and USDA plans to use more appropriate compliance tools for industrial hemp, including visual inspections, performance-based sampling, certified seed and similar procedures, rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach across very different segments of the hemp industry.
“For too long, industrial hemp has been regulated in ways that do not reflect the plant’s actual agricultural purpose,” Bish said. “This language helps restore the original intent of the 2018 Farm Bill by recognizing that hemp grown for grain, fiber and other industrial uses should not be confused with floral hemp. That distinction matters for farmers, processors, regulators, lenders, and insurers alike.”
The Hemp Feed Coalition said the improved distinction between production types should simplify the regulatory structure for industrial hemp and help open the door to greater confidence from banks, investors and insurers. By making the intended purpose of the crop clearer, the legislation could help reduce uncertainty that has slowed capital formation and risk evaluation across the industry.
“This should make it substantially easier for groups like the Hemp Feed Coalition to have productive discussions about industrial hemp without those conversations being confused with floral hemp,” Bish said. “It also provides a clearer distinction around the plant’s purpose, which should help make insurance more obtainable and more rational for industrial hemp producers.”
— Story Contributed by the Hemp Feed Coalition
