I own a hemp foods business. McConnell has not shut down the industry. Chad Rosen

By any measure, the hemp language Sen. Mitch McConnell inserted into the Continuing Resolution (CR) is consequential. It has been sharply characterized as a “death blow” to the hemp industry, a capitulation to Big Pharma or Big Alcohol and even a betrayal of farmers. These claims are not only exaggerated, but they also fundamentally misunderstand both the intent and the implications of the language.

McConnell knew exactly what he was doing. For over a decade, I’ve been directly engaged in building the hemp grain supply chain from the ground up. Since 2015, my company, Victory Foods , PBC, based in Carrollton, Kentucky, has been converting hemp seeds into food ingredients used by major consumer brands to make their products more nutritious, functional and traceable. I served two term