Give Hemp Farmers and Small Businesses Breathing Room

The American hemp industry is a $70 billion economic engine that supports upwards of 500,000 jobs. With a devastating ban set to hit Nov. 12, Congress must grant a two-year extension to give farmers and small businesses the breathing room they need — and pass the bipartisan Lawful Hemp Protection Act to get it done.

Hemp is not a Republican or Democrat issue. Reps. Andy Barr and Angie Craig have already proven this. Now it’s time for the rest of Congress to follow their lead and give this industry the time it needs to get regulation right.

Dear [Lawmaker],

I am writing to urge you to give American hemp farmers and small businesses the breathing room they need by supporting a two-year extension of the current hemp deadline, and by co-sponsoring the Lawful Hemp Protection Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) that would implement a real regulatory framework and reverse the pending hemp ban set to devastate farmers, small businesses, and consumers this November.

The stakes are impossible to ignore. The U.S. hemp-derived consumer product sector is valued at roughly $70 billion and supports upwards of 500,000 American jobs. These are real American workers — farmers, small business owners, manufacturers, and veterans who live in our communities and depend on this industry to survive. Without action, the ban set to take effect Nov. 12 would wipe out roughly 95% of the hemp retail market. A two-year extension is the near-term breathing room this industry needs while Congress and stakeholders finish building a lasting framework.

This ban doesn't just threaten businesses — it threatens public safety. Banning a legal industry overnight doesn't make hemp go away; it pushes consumer demand into an unregulated, illicit market with no testing, no age restrictions, and no safety standards. Rushing a permanent framework against a hard November deadline risks getting it wrong. The Lawful Hemp Protection Act creates a strong regulatory framework to properly regulate the hemp industry, and a two-year extension ensures Congress has the time to implement it right.

This includes commonsense guardrails our industry has long supported, such as 21-and-up purchasing requirements and restrictions on marketing to kids. Congress must give farmers and businesses the runway to build a comprehensive regulatory framework that protects consumers, preserves American businesses, and keeps hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States.

Hemp is not a Republican or Democrat issue. Reps. Andy Barr and Angie Craig have already proven this. Now it's time for the rest of Congress to follow their lead and give this industry the time it needs to get regulation right.

With the Nov. 12 deadline rapidly approaching, failure to act is not an option. It is a death sentence for American livelihoods, farms, and businesses that were built in good faith under existing law. I urge you to support a two-year extension and co-sponsor the Lawful Hemp Protection Act, standing with Reps. Barr and Craig in doing right by American farmers, seniors, veterans, small business owners, and the massive industry they represent.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Respectfully,
______

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