Hemp News Break: The Dec 11 fix may ride on a budget bill

Two House members now say out loud how they want to stop the hemp ban from hitting on Dec 11. Nothing is filed and none of it is law, but it's the first real path with a date on it.

Here's what was reported. On Oct 26, Rep. Morgan Griffith told Roll Call he wants his HEMP Act, which regulates hemp instead of banning it, added to a lame-duck budget reconciliation bill before Dec 11. He said it could be paired with Rep. Van Duyne's bill to tax hemp drinks like alcohol. On Oct 27, Rep. Greg Landsman told Hemp Beverage News that he and Griffith are merging their bills. He expects talks to pick up after the Nov 3 election, and he thinks the agreed language could ride on another must-pass bill.

There's a catch. Reconciliation bills can only carry budget provisions, so the regulatory parts could be challenged and stripped. The Klobuchar and Sheehy Senate bill is still not filed.

Two dates are still law. Nov 12 ends hemp status for cannabinoids a cannabis plant can't make naturally. Most of the other changes, including the 0.4 mg per container cap, start Dec 11. Several states, including Illinois and New Jersey, have earlier cutoffs of their own, so check your state before you ship.

We're not asking for a rescue of any one product. We're asking for a workable federal floor. If you're an operator, keep your plan on the current dates and don't count on a fix until it's signed.