“Our governments, farmers and small businesses need more guidance and regulatory certainty—not blanket bans.”
Since Congress legalized hemp in 2018, Minnesota’s hemp industry has blossomed.
In the roughly two and a half years since Minnesota signed its own hemp legalization bill into law, hemp has grown into a $200 million a year industry, creating thousands of local jobs in everything from farming and brewing to soapmaking and textiles. It has flourished because Minnesota stepped up to do things the right way by implementing smart and reasonable regulation at the state level.
But a few weeks ago, congressional Republicans decided to turn back the clock on the progress Minnesota’s hemp industry has made—threatening local jobs, small businesses, tax revenue and innovation along with it.
Much to my disappointment, they did so without talking to Minnesota stakeholders or engaging with the committees most involved in the hemp supply chain—from growth to final product. That includes the House Agriculture Committee, where I serve as the top Democrat. Since then, my office has been flooded with calls, emails and letters from concerned Minnesotans.
If the federal government is to get involved in hemp production and sales
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