Washington, D.C.—The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) issued astatementin response to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.

Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN, said that, “CRN is both pleased and disappointed with this week’s passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which includes some provisions supported by the association and strikingly omits others that would have provided opportunities for better nutrition to low income Americans.”

Mister said that CRN applauds the inclusion of the Hemp Farming Act, which provides a framework for the lawful cultivation and marketing of hemp and cannabidiol (CBD). He did point out, though, that the FDA still excludes CBD from use in food and dietary supplements, given that ingredients previously studied in clinical trials for pharmaceutical purposes are prohibited from use in food or dietary supplements. “CRN looks forward to engaging with FDA to address those concerns,” he said.

Mister expressed disappointment that the SNAP Vitamin and Mineral Improvement Act was dropped from the final version of the Farm Bill. It would have allowed SNAP recipients to purchase a multivitamin-mineral dietary supplement with their program benefits. “CRN remains committed to expanding consumer access to multivitamins, and will continue to support policies that ensure all Americans have equal opportunity for good nutrition,” he said.