Congress Is Still Trying to Kill Hemp Here’s What You Need to Know

We’ve fought this fight before, and we’ll fight it again because the future of hemp is on the line.

While headlines focus on the government “shutdown,” Congress is quietly advancing legislation that would eliminate the legal hemp industry nationwide. Buried deep inside a federal funding package is Section 759 of the House FY26 Agriculture–FDA Appropriations bill, a dangerous clause that would rewrite the legal definition of hemp and wipe out nearly every product on the market today.

This provision would:

• Undo the 2018 Farm Bill, invalidating compliant hemp genetics
• Ban state-regulated hemp products, even in programs with strict testing and labeling standards
• Cut off markets for American farmers who rely on hemp as a profitable crop
• Destroy more than 300,000 jobs across manufacturing, retail, and agriculture

Let’s be clear, this isn’t about safety. It’s about control. 

Instead of addressing FDA’s years-long failure to regulate hemp properly, a handful of lawmakers are trying to hand the market to a few well-funded marijuana corporations while crushing small businesses and entrepreneurs who built this industry from the ground up.

The Real Story Behind Section 759

Section 759 doesn’t fix problems. It creates new ones. By redefining hemp, it would make legal, compliant products instantly illegal even those tested, labeled, and regulated under existing state frameworks. It would leave consumers without access to the hemp products they trust and businesses without a legal path to operate.

Every hemp farmer, retailer, and manufacturer in America would feel the impact.

What You Can Do Right Now

Congress has had years to act on FDA’s inaction. Instead of creating smart federal oversight, they’re trying to end the industry outright. We can’t let that happen.

Take two minutes today to tell Congress to remove Section 759 from the federal appropriations bill. Your voice matters and your action could be the difference between a thriving hemp economy and a total shutdown.

👉 ACT NOW: Stop the Federal Hemp Ban

AHAA is standing with farmers, retailers, and consumers across the country to protect the future of hemp. Together, we can make sure lawmakers hear it loud and clear:
Hemp is here to stay, and Americans won’t stand by while Washington tries to take it away.