Hemp Groups Push Federal Agency To Include Farmers In Coronavirus Relief Effort

A coalition of hemp industry associations sent a letter to the head of the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) on Monday, urging the agency to extend access to certain coronavirus relief loans to farmers who cultivate the crop. While SBA has touted its support for the hemp market since the crop was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, the organizations said there is a lack of clarity surrounding which of the agency’s programs hemp businesses are eligible for, and they expressed frustration that farmers in general are excluded from participating in the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) typically addresses disaster relief needs in the agriculture community, which is why farmers can’t receive help from that particular SBA loan program. However, USDA handles natural disasters, not pandemics, so the groups said SBA needs to revise its eligibility requirements so farmers don’t get left behind. “Farmers are experiencing significant headwinds and instability as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and must be able to access disaster relief programs that can  support them now,” the letter, which was signed by Vote Hemp, U.S. Hemp Roundtable, U.S. Hemp Growers Association, Hemp Industries Association, National Industrial Hemp Council, Midwest Hemp Council, Hemp Feed Coalition and Nebraska Hemp Industries Association, states. “We believe it was congressional intent to include in that expanded eligibility farms and other agricultural enterprises.” “We urge SBA to clarify that agricultural enterprises are eligible for the EIDL program as well as the emergency grant program,”…

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Source : MJ moment
Link to original : Hemp Groups Push Federal Agency To Include Farmers In Coronavirus Relief Effort
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