Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Congressman Bob Goodlatte’s Weekly Column: August 18, 2017 Making the Case for Industrial Hemp   Washington, DC (August 18, 2017) - Industrial hemp isn’t a new crop. In fact, hemp production was prevalent at the very beginning of our nation. Our Founding Fathers grew hemp for its fiber, and it was one of the largest cash crops in Colonial America. Thomas Jefferson even directed that “an acre of the best ground” at his Poplar Forest estate in Bedford County be kept as a permanent hemp patch. More recently, during World War II the federal government created a “Hemp for Victory” campaign to encourage cultivation of hemp fiber for the war effort.  However, despite the thousands of uses for hemp, including fabrics, paper, auto parts, carpet, construction materials, food, nutritional supplements, and cosmetics, commercial production of industrial hemp is no longer legally allowed in the United States. Unfortunately, industrial hemp is often associated with its more well-known and dangerous cousin, marijuana. While marijuana is cultivated for its psychoactive effect, hemp is an agriculture crop cultivated for its fiber – you cannot get a “high” from it. The two varieties of cannabis are extremely different, and should not be lumped into the same category. Frankly, leaving commercial industrial hemp production in the United States off the table is a missed opportunity. Hemp products are popular in the United States, but because of our nation’s restrictions, they have to be imported from countries like Canada and China. Some studies show that the sale of hemp products in the United States totaled over $600 million in 2016. Why not allow farmers in Virginia and across the country to tap into this market potential? I’ve met many Virginia farmers who are ready to commercially produce and create a market for industrial hemp in the United States, but outdated, though well-intentioned, federal restrictions on the cultivation and commercialization of this crop stand in the way. That’s why I recently introduced the bipartisan Industrial Hemp Farming Act along with Congressmen James Comer (R-Ky.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). The Industrial Hemp Farming Act, which falls partly under the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary Committee, removes industrial hemp from the definition of a controlled substance and gives states the authority to carry out responsible hemp cultivation programs, should they so choose. The bill also permits increased research opportunities on hemp production at state departments of agriculture and universities. Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the Rockingham County farm of a participant in James Madison University’s industrial hemp research program to see firsthand how this crop is grown and harvested. As I have talked with farmers and researchers and learned more about hemp’s uses, it has become abundantly clear to me that we should take steps to start the responsible commercial production of industrial hemp in the United States. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act is the product of many months of robust discussion between lawmakers and stakeholders. I look forward to moving this legislation through the House, and opening up a new opportunity for America’s farmers and economy.

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