Welcome to VOTE HEMP

Vote Hemp is a Washington, DC based grassroots nonprofit organization working since 2000 to bring back hemp farming in the U.S. We are dedicated to a free market for hemp products and to changes in state and federal law to allow American farmers to grow the crop once again, learn more..

Educating legislators and policy makers

Advocating for effective hemp laws and policies

Defending against policies that restrict commerce

Taking Action to legalize hemp farming

Current legislation for Virginia

Virginia Hemp Laws & Regulations 2018 SB 247 Industrial hemp research programs. The bill classifies all participants in any research program as either growers or processors and replaces the current licensing requirement, which requires a police background check, with a registration requirement. The bill will allow farmers to conduct research without partnering with a university

Hemp farming is legal in Virginia

On April 6, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill that defines “industrial hemp extract” as a food. Senate Bill...

RICHMOND — Marty Phipps started a business this year selling an innovative type of bedding for horses and small...

World’s Tallest Hemp Hotel Opens in South Africa

A new hotel made from hemp has opened in South Africa, marking a major milestone for the country’s green...

U.S. Hemp Crop Valued at $238 Million in New USDA Report

The U.S. hemp acreage saw a significant drop in 2022, a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

Bi-partisan group introduces “Free to Grow Act” in House

Today, a bipartisan coalition of House legislators introduced the “Free to Grow Act” to end the unfair drug felony...

Hemp Industry Members File Lawsuit Against DEA, Challenging Rule That Could Have Far-reaching Consequences

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A national hemp trade association and a South Carolina-based hemp company have filed a federal lawsuit...

Hemp Industry Call to Action: Vote Hemp Urges Community to Sign Petition Calling for Congress to Approve 1% THC Levels in Hemp

“The hemp industry is creating many good jobs in farming and manufacturing at this critical time. We need to...

Vote Hemp celebrates 20 years of hemp advocacy

Twenty years ago this week a group of hemp industry advocates came together to launch Vote Hemp with the...

Vote Hemp has been making a positive impact since 2000

Vote Hemp is the longest running grass roots 501 (c)4 non-profit in the hemp industry. We have been lobbying legislators both on the federal level and state level while educating advocates throughout the world since 2000. Our longevity and experience has set the standards for grass roots advocacy around hemp. Vote Hemp’s headquarters in D.C. has allowed us to spearhead the push in Washington to implement permanent hemp legislation. Our grass roots efforts have been focused around American farmers once again legally being able to grow hemp on American soil. The Federal Farm Bills of 2014 and 2018 were huge wins for our grass roots advocacy movement.
48

states have passed hemp farming legislation

291,000

acres of U.S. hemp grown in 2019

$1200000000

estimated U.S. hemp retail sales in 2018

$2500000000

projected U.S. CBD sales by 2022

Follow Us

Grow Our Future - The 7th Annual Hemp History Week
Grow Our Future - The 7th Annual Hemp History Week The 7th annual Hemp History Week campaign videoshows how farmers, students, activists, entrepreneurs and people all over the country are joining the effort to bring back industrial hemp farming in ...
Jim Cramer on SPAC's: The people who buy these SPAC's, they're dealing with P.T. Barnum
Jim Cramer on SPAC's: The people who buy these SPAC's, they're dealing with P.T. Barnum For anyone considering investing in a SPAC that claims to be investing in hemp or cannabis, please do your diligence. Once you have handed over your money, you have no ...
Senator Ron Wyden Hemp Lobby Day greeting
Senator Ron Wyden Hemp Lobby Day greeting Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) shares a greeting to participants of the Hemp Lobby Day sponsored by Vote Hemp.
New York Ag. Commissioner Richard Ball speaks at the Hemp Summit
New York Ag. Commissioner Richard Ball speaks at the Hemp Summit New York Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball speaks at the Hemp Summit on April 18, 2017.
President Trump signs Farm Bill legalizing hemp
President Trump signs Farm Bill legalizing hemp On Thursday December 20, 2018, President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law including the Hemp Farming Act provisions which remove hemp completely from the Controlled Substances Act. To ...
FDA Commissioner Hahn makes first public comments on CBD
FDA Commissioner Hahn makes first public comments on CBD On February 26th 2020, FDA Commissioner Hahn gave his first public speech at the NASDA Winter Policy Conference. He addressed the topic of CBD products and acknowledged that these products ...
New York Gov. Cuomo discusses hemp plans at 2017 State of the State
New York Gov. Cuomo discusses hemp plans at 2017 State of the State New York Gov. Mario Cuomo discusses the benefits of hemp and his plans to open up hemp farming and promote the crop at his 2017 State of the State address.
USDA Undersecretary Ibach speaks on Hemp Interim Final Rule - Feb. 26, 2020
USDA Undersecretary Ibach speaks on Hemp Interim Final Rule - Feb. 26, 2020 USDA Undersecretary Greg Ibach spoke on the hemp Interim Final Rule at the NASDA Winter Policy conference in Washington, DC on February 26, 2020.
USDA Secretary Purdue discusses hemp in House Agriculture Committee hearing 3/5/20
USDA Secretary Purdue discusses hemp in House Agriculture Committee hearing 3/5/20 Secretary Purdue answers a question by Rep. Lawson regarding the Interim Final Rule hemp regulations and THC testing.
Federal Hemp Bill Update with Rep. James Comer (R-KY)
Federal Hemp Bill Update with Rep. James Comer (R-KY) Rep. James Comer has been working hard to build bipartisan support for a new hemp bill in Congress and expects it to be introduced in July. Vote Hemp has been ...
Vote Hemp analysis of the USDA Interim Final Rule hemp production regulations
Vote Hemp analysis of the USDA Interim Final Rule hemp production regulations Vote Hemp president Eric Steenstra presents an analysis of the USDA Interim Final Rule hemp production regulations.
New York Lt. Gov. Hochul promotes hemp farming at the Hemp Summit
New York Lt. Gov. Hochul promotes hemp farming at the Hemp Summit New York Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul speaks about the steps NY is taking to promote the farming of hemp to revive the rural economy in the Southern Tier. She spoke ...
New York State Farm Bureau statement on industrial hemp
New York State Farm Bureau statement on industrial hemp A representative for the New York Farm Bureau speaks about industrial hemp at the New York Hemp Summit which was hosted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday April 18th at ...
USDA Secretary Perdue testifies about hemp regulations at Senate Appropriations hearing
USDA Secretary Perdue testifies about hemp regulations at Senate Appropriations hearing USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue testifies before the U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture and FDA on March 12, 2020. Senator Jeff Merkley asks Secretary Perdue about USDA Interim Final Rule ...