Farm Bill Extension Won't Save Hemp Industry, Advocates Warn

Extending the 2018 Farm Bill won't solve the hemp industry's regulatory crisis—it just postpones it. That's the blunt assessment from Sasha Kalcheff-Korn, executive director at Realm of Caring, who argues that policymakers pushing for a simple extension are missing a critical opportunity to create workable regulations.

"Merely hitting pause does not protect public health; thoughtful regulation does," Kalcheff-Korn wrote in an op-ed published this week.

The warning comes as Congress debates whether to reauthorize the 2018 Farm Bill or simply extend its provisions. For hemp farmers and CBD patients, the difference matters. The current bill legalized hemp cultivation but left regulatory gaps that have plagued the industry for six years. An extension would keep those same gaps in place while the clock ticks toward more restrictive federal rules.

What's At Stake

The hemp industry has operated in regulatory limbo since 2018. While the Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, federal agencies have struggled to develop clear rules for CBD products, testing standards, and interstate commerce. The FDA still hasn't established a regulatory pathway for CBD in food and supplements—products that generate billions in annual sales.

Meanwhile, farmers face uncertainty about what they can grow and where they can sell it. Patients who rely on CBD for conditions ranging from epilepsy to chronic pain navigate a market with inconsistent product quality and limited oversight.

A simple extension would maintain this status quo. It would allow farmers to plant their crops for another season, yes. But it wouldn't address the fundamental regulatory questions that have held back the industry's growth and left consumers vulnerable to substandard products.

The Missed Opportunity

Kalcheff-Korn's organization works directly with patients who use cannabis and hemp products for medical conditions. From that vantage point, she sees how regulatory uncertainty translates into real-world problems: inconsistent dosing, contaminated products, and patients who can't reliably access the treatments that work for them.

The Farm Bill reauthorization process represents a rare chance to fix these issues. Congress could establish clear manufacturing standards, create an FDA approval pathway for CBD products, and set up interstate commerce rules that help legitimate businesses while protecting consumers.

Instead, the extension approach kicks those decisions down the road. For an industry that's been waiting six years for regulatory clarity, that's a bitter pill.

Industry Response

Hemp industry groups have pushed for comprehensive reform rather than temporary extensions. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable and other trade organizations have advocated for provisions that would codify CBD regulation, establish national testing standards, and create legal certainty for farmers and manufacturers.

But legislative progress has been slow. The Senate and House have diverging views on hemp regulation, with some lawmakers concerned about intoxicating hemp-derived products like delta-8 THC while others focus on preserving market access for traditional CBD products.

What Happens Next

Congress faces a deadline to either pass a new Farm Bill or approve an extension before current provisions expire. The extension option looks increasingly likely as lawmakers struggle to reconcile competing priorities on agriculture policy, nutrition assistance, and hemp regulation.

For hemp farmers planning their 2025 crops, that means continued uncertainty. For patients relying on CBD, it means the regulatory gaps that compromise product quality and safety will persist. And for the industry as a whole, it means another year of operating without the clear rules that could unlock growth and investment.

Kalcheff-Korn's message is clear: temporary fixes won't cut it. The hemp industry needs real regulation, not just more time.

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This article is based on original reporting by www.marijuanamoment.net.