Bipartisan Bill to Delay Hemp Ban Gains 36 Congressional Sponsors

WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislation to postpone tightened federal rules on hemp products has now secured backing from 36 lawmakers across both chambers of Congress.

The Hemp Planting Predictability Act would extend the effective date of changes included in last November’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026. Those provisions, signed into law on November 12, 2025, redefined hemp by shifting from a delta-9 THC threshold to a total THC limit of 0.3% on a dry-weight basis. The original effective date was set for November 2026.

The bill, introduced January 13 by Representative James R. Baird (R-IN), would move implementation to November 2028. Its House version (H.R. 7024) now lists 33 supporters from both parties. The Senate companion (S. 3686), led by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and joined by Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), completes the total of 36.

The push reflects concerns among farm-state members that the shortened timeline left little room for growers to adjust 2026 planting schedules or for Congress to consider longer-term regulatory options. The 2018 Farm Bill had opened the door to hemp-derived products, creating both a loophole and a market that later drew scrutiny for certain intoxicating items. A Congressional Research Service overview outlines how the 2025 update addressed those products while preserving industrial hemp uses.

The House Agriculture Committee advanced its 2026 Farm Bill without attaching a comparable delay, directing attention back to this standalone measure.

The cross-party support assembled in a short period signals recognition that abrupt deadlines carry real costs for producers, processors and rural economies. The legislation buys time without changing the underlying policy, leaving room for lawmakers to shape a more complete framework in the months ahead.