WASHINGTON —
A pair of Kentucky lawmakers is leading a bipartisan push in Congress to help protect the hemp industry from a potential nationwide ban.
Reps. James Comer, R-KY, and Morgan McGarvey, D-KY, are among 35 members of Congress who sent a letter to House leadership urging them to remove sections of a federal spending bill that would legally redefine hemp and recriminalize hemp products.
Lawmakers say these proposed changes could destroy 95% the industry and threaten 320,000 jobs across the U.S.
Comer, who helped spearhead Kentucky's industrial hemp pilot program as the commonwealth's agriculture commissioner, said he is a strong advocate for the industry.
"I’ve witnessed firsthand the tremendous potential of industrial hemp to create quality jobs and meaningful economic opportu