If it weren’t for the key legislative efforts Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Ron Wyden who, along with Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, were instrumental in passing the 2018 Farm Bill, the concept of CBD-infused food products faced many hurdles and possibly illegal loopholes. So it was only right that Wyden and Blumenauer were on hand to taste Blue Star’s latest CBD-infused chocolate-hazelnut donut offering.
The lawmakers were in Portland to celebrate hemp’s legalization thanks to their efforts around the 2018 Farm Bill. Wyden worked closely with McConnell to ensure the Hemp Farming Act was included in the final draft of the farm bill.
Enjoyed celebrating a sweet day for Oregon agriculture this morning in Portland w/ @repblumenauer when @BlueStarDonuts rolled out its new hemp CBD-infused donut. Proud to have helped make this day happen by getting hemp legalization into the Farm Bill. pic.twitter.com/4QWSPqhqMt
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) February 18, 2019
According to the Portland Business Journal, Oregon plans to more than double its hemp production this year (a previous state pilot program under the previous farm bill had allowed the previous crops). Some have also predicted that hemp could soon become a $1 billion crop for the state.
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Blumenauer and Wyden thought it was actually fitting the legislators were enjoying the CBD-infused donuts on President’s Day of all days.
“I think George Washington and Thomas Jefferson would be spinning in their graves if they knew hemp had been made a Schedule I drug,” Blumenauer said. “You know, they were growing hemp plants on the site of the Pentagon during World War II because it was considered a strategic material vital to the war effort.”
You can watch the lawmakers talk more about the historic day below.
