AHAA Monthly Impact: Aug-Sept 2025 | How AHAA Stopped Hemp From Getting Sidelined This Month
Hemp advocacy update for Aug–Sept 2025: while Congress moved a continuing resolution, AHAA worked in DC and nationwide to keep harmful hemp riders out and to shape the next Farm Bill—protecting businesses, consumers, and jobs.
This August, the fight for hemp played out in quiet but powerful ways in Washington.
While the headlines focused on Congress scrambling to pass a continuing resolution, AHAA was working behind the scenes to make sure hemp didn’t get caught in the crossfire. We’re here to recap what happened, and how AHAA stepped in to protect hemp businesses, consumers, and jobs across the country.
What’s Happening in Washington
A Continuing Resolution
Congress had to rush a continuing resolution to keep the government open. When these bills move quickly, they’re a magnet for policy riders that can sneak in without debate. Hemp was at risk of being sidelined or restricted with little warning. If one line had slipped through, it could have changed the direction of the entire industry overnight.
The Bigger Looming Issue: The 2026 Farm Bill
Beyond this short-term funding battle, the real fight ahead is the 2026 Farm Bill. This is the law that will decide how hemp is regulated nationwide, and the groundwork is being laid right now. Discussions are happening in committee rooms and offices all over Capitol Hill, often without hemp industry voices in the room. That’s why AHAA is making sure our industry is represented. If we’re not at the table now, the rules will be written without us.
AHAA's Action:
Protecting Hemp in the Continuing Resolution
As Congress scrambled, AHAA activated our connections in DC and made sure lawmakers knew we were watching. JD McCormick spent significant time in Washington, walking the halls of Congress and talking directly with members and staff. The goal was clear: ensure nothing in the continuing resolution restricted hemp or damaged small businesses. And it worked — no harmful hemp provisions made it through. That’s a direct win for the thousands of small businesses and consumers who rely on this industry every day.
Educating Congress on the Farm Bill
AHAA is playing the long game on the Farm Bill. Throughout August, JD and other hemp representatives met with congressional offices to explain what’s at stake. We’ve been sharing the latest science on cannabinoids, highlighting how state bans and poorly designed rules threaten livelihoods, and showing how smart regulation can protect consumers and support small businesses. By presenting real science, economic data, and stories from business owners, AHAA is making sure the human impact of these decisions is impossible to ignore.
Mobilizing Our Advocates
We didn’t just work in Washington, we mobilized our grassroots.
Take a look at Our Monthly Action Stats Graphic below.
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Top Performing Forms
Click to take action!
Stop the Redefinition of Hemp Before It Destroys the Market
3,372 Emails Sent
You Could Lose Access to CBD and Hemp Products - Unless We All Speak Up
2,241 Emails Sent
Don't Let Congress Kill the Hemp Industry - Fight Back Now
1,743 Emails Sent
Don't Let Congress Shut Down Your Store. Take Action Now.
81 Emails Sent
Why It Matters
Most of this work doesn’t make headlines, but it’s the difference between being regulated fairly and being shut out of the market.
Behind-the-scenes advocacy ensures lawmakers understand that hemp is not a fringe issue, it’s a vital American industry supporting tens of thousands of jobs. If Congress gets this wrong, livelihoods are on the line. If we get it right, hemp will remain one of America’s most flexible and innovative industries.
We’ll keep doing this work every month, but we need you with us. The hemp industry can’t afford to sit on the sidelines and neither can you.
Take Action: Tell Congress to Protect Hemp
