In the wake of the recent government shutdown, significant changes are on the horizon for the hemp industry. As detailed in a legal update from Husch Blackwell, the congressional package to reopen the government, signed into law on November 12, 2025, includes provisions that will dramatically reshape the legal landscape for hemp-derived products—though these changes will not take effect for another year. The new law will, after a one-year delay, remove from the legal definition of “hemp” certain products containing synthetic cannabinoids or higher levels of THC, which could have sweeping economic and regulatory impacts across the industry.

We urge all hemp industry participants, from farmers and manufacturers to retailers and state regulators, to review the full legal update for a comprehensive analysis of the new law and its implications.