Proposed ban on hemp products sparks concern among CBD business owners
BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. (WSBT) — Congress is considering a ban on hemp products, leaving local CBD businesses and farmers concerned about their future.
The ban, led by Senator Mitch McConnell and Maryland Congressman Andy Harris, would alter the language classifying hemp products under the 2026 Agriculture and FDA Appropriations Bill.
We're in the fight for our lives, but we're here for it," said David Charles, board member of Hemp Industry & Farmers of America.
In 2018, the Farm Bill federally legalized the commercial production of CBD products, no longer classifying hemp as a controlled substance.
But proposed changes to the bill would update that definition.
Senator Mitch McConnell -- leading the ban proposal -- said during a July Senate Committee Hearing in part:
"The provision would close the hemp loophole that has resulted in the proliferation of unregulated intoxicating hemp products. The existing hemp definition has resulted in an unintended consequence that has allowed for intoxicating hemp-derived synthetic products to be made and sold.
Just last month, a bipartisan group of 27 members of Congress sent Speaker Mike Johnson a letter, warning that changing the language would jeopardize the future of the hemp industry and hemp farmers, asking them to remove it.
Depending on how they construct the law, if they do a no-THC ban, there's no way to grow industrial hemp without THC in the product. So if they eliminate that, it's going to eliminate every hemp farmer in the country," said Jeremy Dybdahl, a CBD business owner in Berrien Springs.
Despite a looming ban, business owners from the CBD industry told WSBT 22 they're not backing down from the fight.
Americans from both sides of the aisle want to see a safe and regulated hemp market as opposed to bans. We've been taking meetings with members of Congress, and we've been pleading for them to listen to the American populace," said Charles.
Members of the Hemp Industry and Farmers of America Organization say they've held dozens of meetings with key lawmakers to stop the ban, while other local businesses worry about what the future holds.
It's a struggle. I mean, we're a small business, and it's something that we're looking at on the horizon, which is what are we going to do?" said Dybdahl.
Reports say GOP Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said he's willing to hold up legislation to end the ongoing shutdown if Congress attempts to move forward with their plan to ban hemp.
