This week, 81 national and state public health, medical, law enforcement, and consumer protection organizations signed onto a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees and the chairs and ranking members of the full appropriations committees urging Congress to include language in the final FY 2026 Agriculture appropriations bill to close the hemp loophole created by the 2018 Farm Bill by redefining hemp to specially exclude hemp-derived THC and all other psychoactive substances derived from hemp that have similar effects to delta-9 THC – the main intoxicating chemical in marijuana.

A conference committee between the House and Senate is currently working to resolve differences between each chamber’s Agriculture appropriations bills. The language to close the hemp loophole was in the House version of the bill and the sign-on letter asks Congress to support the House-passed language.

CADCA’s Public Policy team coordinated this effort, and we are so grateful to all of the organizations that signed on, especially with such short notice. Their passion and commitment to closing the hemp loophole is tremendous and we are proud to partner with them in this effort.