LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) – Marijuana has been called "Hemp's illicit cousin" by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The powerful Republican lawmaker was one of the driving forces behind legalizing industrial hemp but on Monday he returned to Louisville because major questions needed to be answered to take the next steps.
Kentucky's standing as a leader in testing is putting it in the spotlight. The goal is to solve some nagging questions such as how to prevent police from arresting truckers who haul the now legal industrial hemp, how to reliably test it to make sure it's not its "illicit cousin" and how the government can insure farmer's crops?
"We're thrilled to have the undersecretary here today and I have a hemp pen for you,” McConnell said.
The USDA undersecretary has been taking notes, now he has a Kentucky hemp pen from which he might ink guidelines.
Just getting these products made with industrial hemp is one major hurdle, creating a level playing field among 50 states--some of which have not passed industrial hemp laws. It is just one of the many hazards still facing Kentucky's budding industry.
“Kentucky is a leader that we are looking to at USDA to be able to help guide us,” USDA Undersecretary Greg Ibach said. “There is no other state that has the experience with state regulations that Kentucky has at this time.”
That leadership role has led to industrial hemp's boom in Kentucky. In 2014 farmers in 14 counties took part in pilot projects. In 2019, Farmers in 99 of Kentucky's 120 counties will grow the crop.
Although there is progress, there are some concerns too. Scientists are trying to determine when and how-to best test crops for THC, the chemical that turns hemp into its illicit cousin. Then there are some instances where arrested truck drivers were arrested for hauling industrial hemp.
"…That's an area where we're trying to increase our communication and also make sure that we defend those that are legally producing this crop in Kentucky and transporting it inster-state,” Ryan Quarles, the Kentucky Agricultural Commissioner, said.
Most concerning to many considering getting in on the boom is crop insurance. With such a new field, and so many sets of rules, it's tough to determine fair values.
“Our product management team working day and night, and we're working with some of the people in the industry as well…It is a challenge,” Martin Barbe, the USDA Risk Management Agency Administrator, said.
Barbe said the following when he was asked if it was too risky for the government to get involved in crop insurance.
“I wouldn't say too risky,” Barbe said. “I would say we're just not there yet…. if I was putting a product out today, I guess I would say that it would be too risky because we don't have enough data to make it actuarily sound that's where we need to get to.”
The feds hope to have a handle on the crop insurance questions by the 2020 growing season and scientists at the University of Kentucky are considered at the leading edge of the testing technology.
►Contact reporter Chris Williams at cwilliams@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@chriswnews) and Facebook.