Congress Weighs Hemp THC Rules in 2024 Farm Bill Debate
Lawmakers considered revising hemp’s legal definition to account for total THC, sparking calls for a 1% threshold.
In 2024, Congress debated changing how hemp THC levels are measured, moving from delta-9 THC to “total THC.” Industry groups warned the move could devastate farmers unless the legal threshold was raised to 1%.
Washington, D.C., July 2024 — As negotiations over the 2024 Farm Bill progressed, hemp once again became a point of contention on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers on the House Agriculture Committee advanced proposals to amend the federal definition of hemp, shifting the threshold from 0.3% delta-9 THC to 0.3% total THC—a calculation that includes both delta-9 THC and its precursor THCA.
Industry advocates, including the U.S. Hemp Roundtable and the National Hemp Association, immediately raised alarms. They argued that under a total THC standard, many crops that currently pass compliance tests would suddenly become unlawful, forcing widespread crop destruction and further destabilizing the market.
In response, hemp trade groups renewed calls to raise the THC limit to 1%, a standard already adopted in countries such as Switzerland, Thailand, and parts of South America. “A 1% total THC threshold is scientifically sound and would keep U.S. farmers competitive in the global hemp economy,” the Roundtable said in a July 2024 statement.
Legal experts noted that the shift to total THC would align hemp regulations more closely with cannabis laws, making it easier for regulators to enforce but potentially crippling for small-scale hemp growers.
The THC debate unfolded alongside other hemp-related Farm Bill priorities, including specialty crop classification, animal feed approval for hemp grain, and repealing the felon ban on hemp production.
As of late 2024, the final Farm Bill had not yet been passed, leaving hemp farmers uncertain about whether their next planting season would be governed by delta-9 THC limits, total THC standards, or a new 1% rule.
Reference
https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2024/07/congress-advances-cannabis-and-hemp-proposals
