By Matt Macosko — March 11, 2026
If you were holding out hope that the 2026 Farm Bill would save the hemp industry from the federal ban, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you — it’s not happening.
The House Agriculture Committee voted 34-17 on March 5 to advance HR 7567, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.” After more than 20 hours of markup, the bill moved forward with zero changes to the intoxicating hemp ban that was quietly slipped into November’s government reopening deal.
That ban — pushed through by Senate Republicans — outlaws any hemp-derived product containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC, plus anything with synthetic cannabinoids like delta-8 or unnatural cannabinoids like HHC. It takes effect November 12, 2026, and this Farm Bill does absolutely nothing to delay it.
The Amendment That Never Was
Rep. James Baird of Indiana had filed an amendment to delay the ban. He’d also introduced a standalone bill back in January — the Hemp Planting Predictability Act — that would have pushed the deadline back two years. But Baird was absent from the markup. His wife Danise passed away on March 1 from complications of a car accident.
Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson and Ranking Member Angie Craig said Baird intended to withdraw the amendment anyway. Thompson argued the hemp product issue falls outside the Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction. Which is a convenient way to say “not our problem” about a ban that will devastate agricultural businesses in every state.
What the Bill Does Do
Credit where it’s due — the Farm Bill does include some support for industrial hemp farmers. It lifts certain regulatory burdens, directs the USDA to access more testing labs, and gives states more flexibility in how they manage hemp programs. That’s good for fiber and grain producers.
But the $30+ billion market in hemp-derived consumer products? The gummies, the tinctures, the extracts that have been keeping hemp farms profitable? That’s all on the chopping block, and Congress just signaled they’re fine with it.
What Happens Now
The bill still has to pass the full House, then survive the Senate, then land on the President’s desk. There are still opportunities for amendments along the way. But the committee vote tells you where the wind is blowing — and it’s not blowing in hemp’s favor.
November 12 is coming fast. If you’re in the hemp business, you need to be planning for a world where your current product line might be illegal by Thanksgiving. I wish I had better news, but I’ve never been one to sugarcoat things. This industry needs to get loud, get organized, and get in front of legislators before it’s too late.
The 2018 Farm Bill gave hemp a chance. The 2026 version might take it away.