US Hemp Roundtable Applauds Senate for Passing Bill Without Harmful Hemp Ban

[PRESS RELEASE] – LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 4, 2025 — U.S. Hemp Roundtable commends passing of the Senate Ag Appropriations bill without the inclusion of hemp-killing language that would have wiped out more than 95% of the hemp industry. Thanks to critical support from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who led efforts to challenge this misguided ban, the industry can instead move forward with responsible, science-based regulations.

“The removal of language that would have redefined hemp and resulted in the destruction of the industry is a huge win for everyone. Congress is keeping the promise they made to American farmers and reaffirming support for a growing industry,” said Jonathan Miller, general counsel to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. “A ban would only destroy the progress made by small businesses and farmers over the past decade while failing to protect consumers from bad actors.”

Paul remains engaged in negotiations to find common ground for a compromise that would shield the hemp industry from a devastating ban that would have ripple effects across the country, including in Kentucky. Hemp businesses in the commonwealth account for an estimated annual economic impact of $300 million and support more than 3,000 jobs. Also, 87% of all hemp grown in Kentucky is for products that would have been prohibited by the proposed legislation.

“This latest decision to remove hemp-killing language from the Senate bill protects small businesses like ours that serve hundreds of thousands of customers across the U.S,” said Jim Higdon, co-founder and chief communications officer for Cornbread Hemp. “We’re grateful that Senator Paul is standing up for the hemp industry and leading efforts to regulate a growing market without taking a sledgehammer to all of the work we’ve done so far.”

“We hope these discussions will serve as a helpful framework moving forward as we work with Congress to pass robust regulations rather than prohibit products consumers rely on,” Miller said. “We appreciate Senator Mitch McConnell’s willingness to listen to the hemp industry and its supporters.”

U.S. Hemp Roundtable, founded and headquartered in Kentucky, worked closely with Sen. McConnell on the 2018 Farm Bill, legislation that helped create the hemp industry by legalizing products with low levels of THC. Now, the coalition is dedicated to establishing a federal safety framework.

In a recent bipartisan letter circulated by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., and joined by Reps. Andy Barr, R-Ky., Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., members of Kentucky’s federal delegation stood up for farmers and against hemp prohibition by urging congressional leaders to instead move forward with regulations that include age restrictions, standardized packaging and labeling, and third-party independent testing. This aligns with actions the hemp industry and individual states, including Kentucky, have already taken to protect consumers.