Will Hemp Survive the New Farm Bill?
The millions of hemp consumers in the U.S. continue to face a patchy landscape of rules and regulations that are as varied as the countless (and occasionally strange) Thanksgiving leftovers currently fermenting in the back of your fridge. But rest assured, Leafly Nation, we are here to help you make sense of the chaos and separate the signal from the hemp noise.
Over the past month, drama and confusion escalated across the country: The US Senate unveiled a “troubling” draft of the 2025 Farm Bill that could bring the industry to its knees, Connecticut retailers sued the state over strict new THC limits, Ohio prepared a potential Delta-8 ban and Hawaii changed its hemp program to allow hemp-derived THC in edible products. Additionally, some industry players celebrated expansions and big harvests, and an Arizona company released a gigantic 100 mg Delta-8 gum intended to treat Alzheimer's disease.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
In the spotlight: the Blueberry Dream Sleep gummies from North
We'd like to highlight one of our favorite products of the month: Minnesota companies are currently on a roll producing some of the best THC drinks and hemp-derived gummies on the market. North embodies this trend with its balanced sleep gummies. Each delicious little treat contains 5 milligrams of delta-9 THC from hemp, as well as 5 milligrams of CBD and CBN. As is often the case, I would prefer the gummy to have a less sugary coating, but the bold flavor and punch make it special. A pack of twenty gummies costs $18, which makes it a good deal to boot. Learn more about North's sleep gummies here.
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Arizona-based CBD Life Sciences has announced the launch of a 100 mg Delta-8 gummy. The product was specially developed for Alzheimer's patients. A relatively small number of studies show that hemp-derived cannabinoids can relieve disease symptoms.
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Top cannabis news in December
The U.S. Senate Agriculture, Food and Forestry Committee has released a new draft of next year's Farm Bill, and the hemp industry is not happy. (The bill follows the 2018 Farm Bill, which largely opened the door to the rapid spread of hemp-derived cannabinoids.) Most notably, the new version redefines “hemp.” Instead of the current approach, which sets a cap of 0.3% delta-9 THC per dry weight, the new definition would set the limit at 0.3% total THC, which includes cannabinoids such as delta-8, delta-9 and delta -9 would include. 10 THC and THCA. (This proposal is still better received than a version of the bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in May, which would ban an estimated 90% of hemp products nationwide.) The bill won't receive much attention until the next session of Congress begins next year. but rest assured, we will keep you updated as best we can.
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Connecticut Retailers have sued the state over new THC limits in hemp products. In October, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed two new bills that limit THC content to 1 milligram per serving; In January, the cap will be lowered to 0.5 mg per serving. “The state has improperly changed the definition of hemp, and that’s what it all boils down to,” said the retailer’s attorney, Genevieve Park Taylor.
Another state is trying to limit THC: In OhioLawmakers are considering a proposal to limit the amount of hemp-derived cannabinoids to 0.5 mg per single serving and 2 mg per package.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) has signed a new state policy allowing low levels of THC in hemp-derived gummies and beverages. There is also a green light for hemp extraction. However, the details of permitted THC remain unclear. We have asked the state for more information.
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Not so fast: The Illinois The Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has hit pause on new rules for the hemp industry after resistance from growers and retailers. Proposals to allow unannounced, random checks and to exclude people with previous convictions for drug offenses from participating in the industry proved particularly controversial.
Texas' The massive hemp industry is preparing for another legal battle. The state Legislature will reconvene next month, and the industry is preparing for lawmakers to make a (third) attempt to shut it down.
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News from hemp science
Viva la Hemp: A new study by a group of Texas scientists concludes that hemp varieties have a surprisingly high level of microbial diversity. The findings could ultimately help farmers harness microbes to maximize the health and productivity of their hemp plants.
And that's a taste of the wild world of legal hemp this December – 2025 is sure to have even more surprises in store.
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