Hemp in Turmoil - What in the last minute pork barrel

This year's government shut down truly preyed upon my sagacious benevolence.  The one sliver of public life which I rely on for a bit of foundational stability, United States food security, was so vilified I committed to creating a vegetable garden in my background and truly regretted allowing my meyer's lemon tree to wilt and die in neglect.  When congress and senate finally signed a bill to fund and reopen I almost missed the news which had the most real impact on my business: a new compliance measure for hemp businesses.

This section 781 of the recent funding bill includes a strict reimagining of the 2018 Farm Bill which currently regulates Hemp!  Brand new, strict regulations on hemp products that industry experts say will effectively ban most intoxicating hemp-derived products.  There is a grace period! The new rules will take effect and become enforceable  starting in one year, on November 12, 2026.  Well a lot can happen in one year right ?  Before I begin procrastinating with fantasy let's dive a little bit deeper into what exactly this new regulation says and how it is going to actually be put into practice.  At some point we should also take bets on if the  pharmaceutical, alcohol, or legal cannabis industry has the most to gain from the punitive reform of hemp.

• Total THC Limit Per Container: The most significant change is a limit of no more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container for final consumer products, regardless of serving size. This is a drastic reduction from typical products on the market, which often contain 5mg to over 100mg of THC per package. Basically 2 gummies!
• Redefinition of Hemp: The new law redefines hemp to include a total THC concentration (including THCA) of no more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. This effectively outlaws high-THCA hemp flowers and many full-spectrum CBD products. Broad spectrum is not sought out by many hemp fans.
• Ban on Synthetic Cannabinoids: The provision prohibits the production and sale of cannabinoids that are synthesized or manufactured outside the plant, such as Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC, and HHC.      
  The new rules have generated significant controversy and concern within the hemp industry, a multi-billion dollar market that supports an estimated 300,000 jobs. 
  Economic Impact: The U.S. Hemp Roundtable estimates the ban could wipe out over 95% of the current market, including many non-intoxicating CBD products that still have trace amounts of THC exceeding the new container limit.

• Political Response: The provision faced opposition from lawmakers like Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC), who argue it should have been debated openly rather than tucked into a must-pass funding bill. Rep. Mace has already introduced new legislation, the American Hemp Protection Act, to repeal the ban before it takes effect.
• Future Uncertainty: While the ban does not go into effect for a year, providing time for legal and legislative challenges, it has created confusion and uncertainty for businesses, farmers, and consumers in states where these products were previously legal. The industry is preparing a major lobbying push to advocate for a robust regulatory framework instead of a ban.

Interestingly enough I have noticed that there seems to be several states where Cannabis is not legal that are defending the current freer and more open version of hemp regulation.  Begs the question is a loosey goosey hemp framework just another trojan horse for THC?  If so is that a bad thing that must be done away with?  Honestly my understanding is that the Farm Bill of 2018 which is the foundation of the current Hemp Regulation was intended to encourage the full cycle of Hemp production from farm to table.  This give US crops a real stake in world wide hemp production which is set to increase in demand over the next ten years!