Hemp given special status, added to USDA advisory committee

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture will include hemp in the title of one of its Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs), showing the agency recognizes the crop’s importance as a commodity.

Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts and Hemp is the new name of the ATAC, according to a notice of intent from the USDA.

ATACs consult the secretary of agriculture and the U.S. trade representative on agricultural trade.

Since hemp was legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, the USDA has worked alongside cultivators across the country, most recently funding economic opportunities in Tennessee.