In a society where our politicians can’t agree on even the most basic of issues, you might be forgiven for thinking that cooperation and bipartisanship are a thing of the past. You’d be wrong.

Industrial Hemp is one of the last truly bipartisan issues left in modern America. The 2018 Farm Bill, which re-legalized the crop after an 81 year moratorium on commercial production, passed both the House and Senate with almost 90% approval.

The bill was introduced by senior Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR),and Jeff Merkely (D-OR) and enjoyed broad support from both parties.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a staunch Republican, went so far as to personally place himself on the Farm Bill committee to insure that any “glitches” preventing a legal and regulated US Hemp industry would be cleared up.

While at first glance it might be surprising to see the senior Senator from a Republican stronghold so supportive of industrial cannabis, it makes perfect sense politically. In his home state of Kentucky, where ailing tobacco farmers are scrambling for a new cash crop (preferably one that doesn’t kill people), the fledgling Hemp industry has already created almost 1,000 jobs and tens of millions of dollars in taxable revenue.

For rural economies to survive in an increasingly centralized economy, keystone industries like agriculture must find a way to keep people employed while simultaneously keeping up with the increasing demand for sustainable products. Hemp provides an opportunity for these economies to kill two birds with one stone - a potential that the senior leadership in Washington seems to understand.

Even though its potential is so great, Hemp still has a lot of catching up to do. During the 81 years that Hemp cultivation was illegal almost no research was done on the plant whatsoever - making crop knowledge scarce and market competitive applications uncertain. Luckily, Hemp’s bipartisan streak is continuing.

A new bill (H.R. 3652) - titled “The Hemp for Victory Act” - would help modernize the industry by mandating federal research into potential applications and establishing badly needed guidelines and regulations to make it easier for farmers to grow the crop. The bill is expected to continue to receive strong support from Republicans and Democrats alike.

And so, here we have a beautiful example of both parties coming together to do what is so obviously the right thing for the country. Republicans love Hemp because it can help put small American farmers back to work and stimulate rural economies, and Democrats love Hemp for its potential to fight climate change and to give the country an edge in renewable technologies.

This is more than a fleeting moment of political agreement - Hemp could be a healing moment for a deeply divided country, a beacon of hope to those who have grown cynical about the ability of our political parties to put aside their petty differences for the betterment of the country - proof that, even in times like ours, cooperation and mutually aligned incentives can lead to real progress.

The creation of the US Hemp industry is a victory for our Republic, and maybe, just maybe, it could help inspire unity and compromise elsewhere in our society. Hemp may be the only bipartisan issue in America today, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the last.





**If you are interested in the future of a Hemp industry in the US, please call or email your Congressional Representatives and tell them you support House Bill 3652 which would establish badly needed crop guidelines along with mandating Federal Research into market applications.**







