Did Congress Just Ban Hemp? Two Women Industry Leaders Say There’s Still Time to Get It Right
The new law formally defines industrial hemp grain and fiber as agricultural commodities while setting a one-year countdown for Congress to regulate — or effectively ban — intoxicating hemp-derived products.
Fort Benton, MT & McMinnville, OR, Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With Senator Mitch McConnell’s hemp language now passed in the FY26 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, the hemp industry has entered a defining year. The measure, which for the first time distinguishes industrial hemp grain and fiber from cannabinoid-producing varieties, also puts the market for intoxicating hemp-derived products on notice — these products now have a limited window to operate unless Congress and industry deliver a real, science-based regulatory solution in the next 12 months.
“This has always been about creating opportunities for farmers,” said Morgan Tweet, CEO and Co-Founder of IND HEMP. “Now we finally have a framework for industrial hemp to build an amazing future — but it’s only temporary. We need to secure it in the Farm Bill to make it lasting. At the same time, we have an opportunity to preserve a place for responsible floral producers — those building businesses with integrity and consumer safety at the forefront. I’m willing to work for all of it, because if farmers can monetize every part of this plant, that’s a future worth fighting for.”
“My interest in hemp began with its potential to offer natural alternatives for treating PTSD, but over the years it’s grown into a vision for one of the great American success stories of the 21st century,” said Danielle Bernstein, President and Co-Owner of Laurelcrest. “Hemp has always been a building block of the American economy, and today we have a chance to write its next chapter — one built on responsibility, sustainability, and opportunity. This is about empowering family-owned businesses and American manufacturing to thrive again through the responsible development of this incredible plant.”
Since Congress legalized hemp in 2018, America has seen both the promise and the pitfalls of this emerging industry. What began as an agricultural opportunity has evolved into an environment the 2018 Farm Bill never saw coming — with confusing laws, inconsistent enforcement, and a marketplace overflowing with products that have left regulators and consumers alike uncertain where hemp ends and marijuana begins.
Now, as Congress revisits hemp regulations in the 2024–25 Farm Bill, the political climate has shifted sharply. Lawmakers are trying to rein in a sector that has outpaced the policy meant to govern it. The result is uncertainty for farmers, fear for manufacturers, and unease among consumers who no longer know which products they can trust. But this moment of reckoning should be a turning point — if we focus on real policy solutions instead of reactionary bans.
“We have built our companies alongside our fathers, driven by a shared vision for a legacy rooted in innovation, stewardship, and the goodness of hemp.” Tweet and Bernstein share. “As two women leading family-founded businesses in an industry often defined by men, we’ve learned that progress takes both grit and grace — and a willingness to build bridges where others build barriers.” Laurelcrest, led by Danielle Bernstein, Chair of the Cannabis Committee for the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), produces high-quality, GMP-certified cannabinoid ingredients and finished products. Morgan Tweet, a Board Member of the National Hemp Association (NHA), leads IND HEMP — one of the nation’s first large-scale grain and fiber processing facilities. Together, we represent two ends of the same American story — from the lab to the land — proving that collaboration, not competition, is the key to unlocking hemp’s potential.
The decision to advance Senator McConnell’s restrictive hemp language is a warning sign — a reflection of how Congress feels it has no other choice but to impose strict limitations on hemp-derived products. We believe this reaction stems from the absence of a proper regulatory framework to manage manufacturing and final-form products. Without clear rules, policymakers are left to choose control over clarity.
This language, circulating on Capitol Hill, may appear targeted at bad actors — but in practice, it risks doing far more harm than good. By setting allowable THC limits so low that they effectively ban CBD and other naturally derived cannabinoids, it creates panic and further destabilizes legitimate businesses. Consumer demand, especially in states without medical cannabis programs, will not disappear — it will simply move underground, where unregulated products endanger the very consumers Congress seeks to protect.
This moment calls for leadership, not reaction. We urge both Congress and the hemp industry to treat this crisis as an opportunity we can’t afford to miss. Prohibition is not a solution — our proposal for smart regulation is. We are developing a comprehensive framework, and it will require broad support across Capitol Hill and within the hemp community to succeed.
Our shared goal is simple: to create a trustworthy, transparent, and sustainable hemp industry that benefits farmers, manufacturers, and consumers alike. To achieve that, we’ve joined forces to help craft a new policy framework for Congress — one that draws a clear line between industrial hemp and floral hemp, while establishing responsible oversight for both.
Working in partnership with the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) — one of the most respected and trusted organizations in plant and herbal product regulation — and peers across the dietary supplement, agricultural, and cannabis research sectors, we are advancing a forward-looking plan to bring order and accountability to hemp. This work begins with the Farm Bill, modernizing and clarifying hemp’s definition and establishing sub-definitions for industrial and floral hemp so USDA can manage each under distinct licensing programs. It also refines the definition to prevent artificial cannabinoids from being misrepresented as hemp.
For years, policymakers have tried to regulate two very different crops under one definition — and that confusion has held the industry back. Floral hemp, with its inherent potential for higher THC, carries a very different risk profile than grain and fiber hemp, which pose none of those challenges. Their regulatory structures should reflect those realities. A clear bifurcation is overdue: industrial hemp should be treated as an agricultural commodity under USDA, while floral hemp should have its own definition that clarifies USDA’s limited role and directs the regulation of finished cannabinoid products to FDA, where consumer safety belongs.
The economic opportunity of industrial hemp is enormous — a once-in-a-generation chance to reinvigorate American agriculture, manufacturing, and rural economies. The diversity of markets it can serve is astonishing. From textiles and bioplastics to animal feed, construction materials, and paper, industrial hemp offers a sustainable, American-grown resource that complements — and strengthens — traditional industries like wood and cotton. With every acre planted and every product made, hemp has the power to restore domestic supply chains, create good-paying jobs, and position America as a leader in the global shift toward renewable, homegrown materials. What this sector needs now is continued investment, trust, and smart policy to unlock its full potential and deliver on that promise.
Washington isn’t just looking to manage farmers differently — it’s searching for an enforceable solution to regulate impairing products and stop bad actors from exploiting gaps in the law. Enforcement needs this clarity to distinguish legitimate hemp producers from illegal marijuana operations and to hold accountable those determined to manipulate the system.
But that’s only the first phase. The second and third phases — advanced through the Energy & Commerce Committee — will direct the FDA to develop pathways under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) to regulate non-impairing cannabinoids with GMP standards and transparent labeling, and will task TTB with oversight of impairing cannabinoids under a model proven to work in alcohol regulation. Our hope is that this approach will achieve what the hemp sector has long needed: building a united voice rooted in science, safety, and economic opportunity.
This work is being coordinated through the Hemp Education & Marketing Initiative (HEMI) — a collaborative effort created to shepherd the messaging of hemp as an American-grown commodity. What began as a campaign to promote the value of hemp food, feed, and fiber has evolved into a forum for industry leaders, trade associations, and policymakers to align around solutions. HEMI’s mission is to facilitate conversations, align perspectives, and help the industry grow under a unified, credible message.
This isn’t about shielding bad actors or ignoring abuse. It’s about defining a clear path that protects public safety while empowering responsible businesses to thrive. With clear standards and enforcement tools, regulators can accurately stop those seeking to exploit the system — while encouraging compliant, transparent companies to grow with confidence and integrity.
Congress has a chance to deliver that clarity in this Farm Bill. By distinguishing industrial from floral hemp and coordinating FDA and TTB authority in the next phase, we can replace chaos with common sense and restore trust in one of America’s most promising crops.
It’s time to stop letting confusion define hemp’s future. Let’s replace panic with progress — and give this plant, and the Americans turning it into an engine of innovation and growth, the opportunity it deserves.
Please share comments and questions with contact@hempinitiatives.org
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Gregg Gnecco Hemp Education and Marketing Initiatives - IND HEMP 5038662629 gregg@indhemp.com
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