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OG article by Erin McEvoy

November 14, 2025

Minnesota's hemp and THC producers are bracing for battle against the newly enacted federal ban on intoxicating hemp-derived products, viewing it as an existential threat to their burgeoning industry. Signed into law by President Donald Trump on November 12, 2025, the measure—tucked into a must-pass spending bill—closes the 2018 Farm Bill loophole that defined hemp as cannabis with under 0.3% delta-9 THC, expanding prohibitions to total THC content per container, potentially capping it at 0.4 milligrams and outlawing most edibles, vapes, and beverages. Effective November 2026, it endangers an estimated $28 billion national market supporting 325,000 jobs and $13.2 billion in wages, according to Whitney Economics.

Local producers, who have invested heavily in cultivation, processing, and retail since hemp's federal legalization, decry the move as overreach. "This isn't just about THC; it's about killing an entire agricultural sector we've built from the ground up," said one Twin Cities-based farmer, echoing sentiments from the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, which warns of 95% market evaporation. Minnesota's landscape, with its progressive cannabis policies including medical marijuana and emerging adult-use discussions, positions producers to leverage state protections. Groups like the Minnesota Hemp Growers Association are mobilizing lawsuits, lobbying for exemptions, and exploring interstate alliances with sympathetic states like Kentucky and Colorado.

The federal maneuver, led by Sen. Mitch McConnell despite opposition from hemp advocate Sen. Rand Paul, bypassed transparent debate, fueling accusations of undemocratic process. Paul cautioned it would "devastate the hemp industry and send farmers, manufacturers, and retailers scrambling." In Minnesota, where hemp supports rural economies through fiber, seeds, and cannabinoids, stakeholders emphasize public health benefits like CBD for wellness, arguing the ban favors Big Alcohol and Pharma over innovation. As legal challenges mount, producers remain defiant: "We're not going down without a fight—we've got the science, the jobs, and the voters on our side." This resistance could catalyze broader reform, highlighting tensions between federal prohibition and state sovereignty in America's evolving cannabis narrative.