Updated on July 21, 2025   The American Healthy Alternatives Association and Tennessee Healthy Alternatives Association have been sounding the alarm on the harmful language in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations bill. Time is of the essence, because the vote in the U.S. Senate could happen as early as this week, and we need everyone’s voice.  A provision that made it into the Agriculture Appropriations bill would ban nearly all legal hemp products, including safe, federally legal options like CBD that we know millions of Americans rely on every day.   This proposal would: • Eliminate over 99% of the legal hemp market • Shut down small businesses in every state • Kill more than 325,000 American jobs • Take away safe, trusted wellness products from everyday people This isn’t a safety measure — it’s a blanket ban being forced through a must-pass budget bill, overriding state laws and the promises of the 2018 Farm Bill. This Senate version includes some flexibility and a one year delay before implementation will take place, but the House version has the restrictions taking effect immediately.   Here are more specific highlights: 1. The bill proposes changing the federal definition of hemp. Instead of the current 0.3% Delta-9 THC limit, the new definition would apply a “total THC” limit-counting all THC isomers, including Delta-8, Delta-10, and even THCA. This broader definition would significantly narrow what qualifies as legal hemp. 2. The bill would prohibit any cannabinoids that are synthesized outside of the cannabis plant, even if they contain less than 0.3% total THC. This would disqualify many hemp-derived ingredients currently used in legal products. 3. The bill instructs that any measurable amount of THC or THC-like compounds--regardless of whether they are intoxicating--would be banned. Enforcement authority would be delegated to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 4. The bill does explicitly protect hemp grown for fiber, grain, oilseeds, or research purposes. However, edibles and cannabinoid-based products remain at risk, especially depending on how the term “quantifiable” is defined in enforcement.   Here is an approximate timeline: as we mentioned, the Senate could vote this week. The U.S. House must also pass the bill. As of now, the Senate and House versions are different--meaning they will have to then have to meet in conference to reconcile the language, and then a final vote will take place before being sent to the president to sign. People across this country depend on access to legal hemp for health, wellness, and quality of life. This attack on hemp is an attack on personal freedom and choice.  Please help us take action to reject this dangerous language. Your action today can protect access, protect jobs, and protect the rights of everyday Americans.

Tennessee's hemp industry is facing new regulations and legal challenges in 2025. Recent rules enforce licensing for hemp-derived cannabinoid products, while House Bill 962 could give local governments more control over sales. Learn about the ongoing legal disputes and compliance requirements.

Women are driving a revolution in Tennessee's hemp industry, shaping its future with innovation, resilience, and leadership. From sustainable farming and groundbreaking entrepreneurship to policy advocacy and scientific research, their contributions are breaking barriers and inspiring a new era for agriculture.