<br/> Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul spoke at the opening of Cornbread Hemp's new production facility in Louisville.(Joe Sonka / KPR )Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul attended the opening of Cornbread Hemp’s new production facility in Louisville on Monday, blasting a new federal law that could put i t out of business next year.Paul cut a ribbon at the ceremonial opening of the facility, but the Kentucky company’s owners say the continuing resolution passed by Congress last month would make all of its CBD and low-THC hemp products illegal at the federal level when it goes into effect next November.Sen. Mitch McConnell, his fellow Republican colleague in the chamber, pushed language in the bill that would ban the sale of hemp-derived products that include more than .4 milligrams of THC per container, saying this was needed to protect children. Paul unsuccessfully attempted to strip out this language, saying that it would ban close to 100% of hemp products — even non-intoxicating ones — and put farmers and companies out of business.Paul said Monday that Congress must act soon to either alter the new federal rules or push back implementation for an additional year.“I am worried about the legislation,” Paul said. “We are working on new legislation, but I've got to convince my colleagues to change their opinion.”Paul emphasized that the bill overturns state regulations on the industry, such as those already passed in Kentucky that prohibit children from buying THC products at gas stations.“[McConnell] says he's trying to save the children?” Paul asked. “He's ignoring the fact that he's overturning the Kentucky law that does protect children, and there's no age limit for buying it at the federal [level].”McConnell has insisted that his language would not decimate the hemp industry, allowing industrial hemp to continue, along with products containing CBD, the non-psychoactive component of hemp plants. The senator was responsible for the 2018 Farm Bill that launched the hemp industry, but said his new language closed a previous loophole that allowed “intoxicating THC products” to flourish.Paul and those in the hemp industry say McConnell is wrong about his provision’s effect on CBD products that are used to manage sleep, pain and anxiety, as most also contain small amounts of THC and would be swept up in a national ban. They say it could effectively wipe out 95% of the $28 billion industry.“If [McConnell] sees an accomplishment in destroying a multi million, actually billion dollar industry, I don't see that as an accomplishment,” Paul said. “I don't know that we're going to change his mind, but I think he really has not been well informed on this.”Paul said that Congress has to move quickly to address the new federal rules, which could involve new legislation allowing states to keep their own hemp regulations in place. That would still leave the question of what to do about companies shipping hemp products across state lines, and whether there should be a higher THC limit in any federal regulations.“We're in the process of listening to people in the business, listening to the farmers and trying to come to some conclusion, but we've got to change some minds,” Paul said.Asked what would be a reasonable THC milligram limit at the federal level for products, Paul suggested 5 milligrams, but added that this would ideally be left up to states.Jim Higdon, the co-founder of Cornbread Hemp, said their maximum limit is 10 milligrams of THC per serving for gummies, with 20 per jar. They also sell CBD gummies and beverages that are 5 milligrams of THC per serving, with that amount being the limit for beverages under a new Kentucky law.“The five milligrams per serving seems like something that Congress is prepared to think about,” Higdon said.Higdon added that while the new federal prohibition does not go into effect until next November, the industry as a whole needs clarity long before that, as hemp farmers plan for next year's crop. He said farmers would have to plant hemp seeds by mid-May.Shortly after the passage of the continuing resolution, several hemp farmers held a press conference outside of McConnell’s office in Louisville, saying they were unsure if they would plant a hemp crop next year if the new federal prohibition remained in place.“We got the opportunity to watch McConnell vote this thing down the other day,” said Asa Phillips, an Owen County hemp farmer. “He don't have no idea what this does to our rural communities and the farmers. It's not affecting just a few people. It affects bunches of people.”Most of Kentucky’s federal delegation expressed opposition to McConnell’s language this past fall, though several Republicans still voted for the continuing resolution to reopen the federal government and end the shutdown.Paul is hopeful that members of Congress will get on board with changes next year, when legislation won’t be tied to a government shutdown.“I had many people come up to me and said they were open to it,” Paul said. “I think we have the nucleus of a group, and I think we can do better.” ...read more read less