U.S President-elect Biden will nominate a hemp representative, Vilsack Tom, to be the next U.S. Agriculture Secretary.
Tom worked in the same position during the Obama administration’s eight years of service. He was in charge of USDA operations during the approval and enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill, which authorized states to try out hemp production.
Hailing from Iowa, Vilsack was confirmed unanimously by the Senate during January 2009. He is termed “confirmable” by the forthcoming divided Senate.
The 2014 Farm bill created the hemp pilot initiative and was passed towards the end of Vilsack’s tenure as the USDA chief.
U.S. Hemp Roundtable’s Jonathan Miller, a lobby and hemp advocacy group, dubbed Tom as a ‘ long-haul hemp activist, adding that the hemp sector had a candid and bold working relationship with the former USDA chief administrator.
Jonathan asserted that USDA under Tom’s leadership helped Kentucky state surpass hemp import restrictions from the country’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Jonathan further said that the hemp industry is very optimistic that Vilsack will offer the necessary clarity and leadership to unlock the potential of the sector.
Shawn Hauser, a marijuana attorney from Denver, pointed out that Vilsack was part of the administration that formulated problematic regulations to the hemp sector. For instance, the 2016 USDA memo that outlined the threshold of authorized hemp production.
However, she added that the different appointments and new presidential administration will offer more opportunities for collaboration and support.
Hauser also said that with the drastic change of the hemp industry since Vilsack’s USDA leadership, she’s positive that hemp will direct him towards eco-friendly agriculture that helps small ventures.
The United States House has already appointed a new Agriculture Committee chairperson, who will be in charge of hemp. David Scott, Georgia Democratic Representative, will take over the management from the present chairperson Collin Peterson. Collin is a Democrat from Minnesota but he lost his reelection bid.
