Congressman Andy Barr also made a stop in Harrison County today to announce his plan to save Kentucky's hemp industry from the upcoming federal ban in November.

His Lawful Hemp Protection Act aims to redefine legal hemp and improve the federal regulations on the industry.

As our Mackenzie Spink reports, farmers in Kentucky say they're suffering from the current industry uncertainty.

According to the National Hemp Report, Kentucky farmers planted 4700 acres of hemp in 2025 alone.

Farmers are saying the uncertainty in the market because of the looming federal ban means they're sitting on products they can't sell.

Farmers planted last year are planting today, but they don't know what the rules will be tomorrow.

That uncertainty is killing investment and putting livelihoods at risk.

And at this point, we can't plan him this year.

It's quite a challenge for us.

We did everything by the book, by the law, but now we're selling products we can sell.

When legislation was passed last year to reopen the federal government.

A measure was added onto the bill that redefined legal hemp in the country, meaning many hemp products will leave the shelves in November when the law takes effect.

Representative Andy Barr says he's worked with the hemp industry to draft the Lawful Hemp Protection Act, which he will introduce next week.

First, we want to protect this growing industry for Kentucky farmers.

Secondly, we're going to build a long term regulatory framework to create the stability and certainty so that we have a durable, mature industry that will not be subject to changes in the law.

And third, we want to protect consumers, especially kids.

By standardizing the marketplace and getting rid of bad actors.

Barr says his bill will grow the industry while protecting families and children.

We can grow this industry responsibly while protecting families, our kids and consumers.

So the key provisions are as follows.

We're we have a 21 plus age requirement for all consumable hemp products.

Strict marketing rules to prevent targeting children.

It's a ban and this is very important.

This is a big fix.

And this is this is what gave legitimate farmers difficulty.

A ban on synthetic products to ensure safety and transparency.

And American grown hemp only.

The change to legal hemp products was a provision from Kentucky senior Senator Mitch McConnell, who said he wanted to take the loosely regulated synthetic products off the market.

Representative Barr, who is running for McConnell's Senate seat, says his bill fulfills that mission.

In this legislation, we are directly responding to the legitimate concerns that Senator McConnell had.

When he was, trying to achieve what he was doing.

This bill that I'm introducing does, in fact ban high potency and synthetic products.

And that's what's different than what we had with the status quo before.

And that's what's going to create a stability and certainty in the long run for the industry.

This is not going back, to this.

This is taking us into the future with a mature, responsible industry that gives a lifeline to these terrific farmers.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm McKenzie Spink.

Thank you.

McKenzie.

According to the Kentucky Hemp Association, hemp is a $330 million industry employing over 3000 Kentuckians.

Earlier this week, Kentucky U.S.

Senator Rand Paul, a Republican, unveiled his own plan to help the hemp industry.

Today, he spoke about his hemp safety Enforcement Act during a speech at the University of Kentucky Patterson School for diplomacy, noting the legislation has the backing of President Trump.

I'm in general for adults being able to make a choice, but there's a big economic engine for this thing.

So I have a law to say that if the state has set up a regulatory apparatus, that that would supersede the federal law.

Traditionally, federal law supersedes state law, but there's no reason we can't pass a law saying if the states have a law supersedes federal law.

And, we have I have a Democrat, co-sponsor, and we're hoping to get that on the farm bill.

But it's it's not easy.

But that's what our hope is.

The president being behind it is a good will help the cause as well.