Last week, on KVNF’s Farm Friday we spoke with Jon Orlando, owner of Rock n’ Roots in Paonia, about how potential changes to federal hemp regulations could affect the billion dollar industry. Today we hear from Steve Schauer, owner of Fields of Glory, who raises hemp in the North Fork Valley about how his business could also be impacted if the bill goes into effect.
Schauer learned about the bill from an article written by Kentucky legislator Rand Paul who voiced his concerns that the new regulations could be the death of typical CBD products. Paul is voicing opposition to fellow Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell who supports the stringent regulations despite initially supporting hemp.
Schauer believes the current push back on CBD products is a result of those who are mixing synthetics with hemp to get people high.
Many are speculating about who is behind the legislation. Some believe the backers are lobbyists representing the alcohol, marijuana or big pharmaceutical companies who are in competition with hemp products. Regardless of who is backing the changes Schauer says the bill, as it stands, would have a detrimental effect on the industry.
The hemp grower called the news of the funding bill,’ the ‘darkest day ever '’ but pointed to the recent change in the Trump administration's stance on marijuana as a ray of hope. By moving marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule III substance under the Controlled Substances Act more funding for research will be available for both marijuana and CBD products, something Schauer says will help validate much of the hemp industry.
For now, the North Fork hemp grower and producer of CBD products says he’s prepared to wait and see what happens next. In light of recent events, however, he’s been debating whether to plant a crop next spring or lean on surplus of hemp oil to ride out the storm.
If the federal funding bill remains the same, the changes could be a death blow to Schauer's small hemp business on the Western Slope. Of course the outcome for Colorado hemp growers is largely dependent on how the state decides to react to the new federal hemp regulations.
As in the instance of marijuana, the state has historically gone on its own way. Moving forward, the North Fork farmer says he’s following the issue closely and recommends that anyone who produces hemp or uses CBD products contact their legislators.
