Connect with us

Cannabis News

Congressman Pledges To Help Virginia Hemp Farmers As Federal THC Product Ban And State Marijuana Changes Loom

Published

1 month ago

on

“You’re a picker. Let’s see what’s in the realm of choice.”

Author: Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury

“We needed this rain,” farmer and entrepreneur Graham Redfern said on his front porch in Caroline County Wednesday as U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA), who represents Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, said.

The lawmaker was there to discuss the crops and products of Redfern Hemp Co., one of the state’s small businesses, whose future is uncertain between soon-to-be federal restrictions on THC hemp products and Virginia’s retail cannabis market.

Rain was a certainty for Redfern, and a welcome start to its planting season. But another, he said, is that most of his products will become illegal later this year when the federal hemp crackdown begins.

“It’s scary,” Redfern said of thinking six months ahead. He added that some of his employees are considering looking for other jobs.

The Redfern company, which employs 14 full-time and 5 part-time workers, makes body lotions, dog treats, chocolates and gummies from hemp. Its products provide customers with sedative and pain management effects, while other parts of the hemp plant help produce oils, birdseed and fiber.

Tamra Herndon, a longtime Redfern customer, said the products have been helpful for her mental and physical health.

As an amputee, he suffers from “phantom pain” where his left leg used to be, and walking on the prosthetic leg is accompanied by joint pain. The combination of THC and CBD in Redfern’s products helps relieve pain and calm anxiety.

“I’ve been more active,” he told Vindman as he accompanied him on the farm tour.

In the face of federal changes, a “pivot” is being considered: using hemp fibers to stabilize plastic in the recycling process. The movement aims to reduce the rise of micro plastics, which are increasingly entering water and food sources.

He is also considering whether to switch his business to selling cannabis products The fate of the retail cannabis market proposed by lawmakers rests in the hands of Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D)..

Business owners struggle to navigate state and federal changes

Redfern said he invited Vindman to his farm to ask Spanberger to advocate on behalf of the hemp industry, which is to sign or reject the legislative framework for the retail cannabis market that was cleared by the legislature this year, half a decade after recreational pot was legalized in Virginia.

A multi-pronged plan to expand the weed market passed with bipartisan support, but Spanberger did not sign it and instead sent it to lawmakers with amendments. They rejected his adjustments, setting the option to sign the plan MPs have either proposed or vetoed it entirely.

But even if the legislature approved the governor’s changes, Redfern said, some of them would be difficult for him and other small business owners to respond to.

The bill of the state legislators also establishes that the agricultural, production and commercial spaces of the companies must operate within a radius of 20 kilometers.

Redfern’s farm is in Caroline County—in the countryside—along with a small store next door. Its commercial kitchen, where products are tested and created, is located in Richmond.

“I can’t sell my farm and I don’t want to build another kitchen when I already have one,” Redfern said. “I’ve been in this business for six years. That alone won’t stop me from taking my current business model that’s working and transitioning into the marijuana market. The problem is (the legislation) doesn’t even give me a path to get there.”

Del. Rep. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax, author of the House version of the bill, said he was “frustrated” by the governor’s changes, but open to working with Spanberger on future iterations of the bill.

“It’s a long process, but good legislation sometimes takes time,” he said.

Instead of delaying the launch of the cannabis market until July 2027, as Spanberger proposed, Redfern is calling for a veto of the bill and then meeting with lawmakers as state budget negotiations continue. They have a tight timeline; The current state budget expires on July 1.

Other Virginia small businesses are also eager to see how the statewide debate plays out.

Richmond-based restaurateur Jay Bayer of Bingo Beer previously established a partnership with Pure Shenandoah to produce THC seltzers. Low dose products offer an alternative to alcohol for people who are not health conscious.

Bayer said late last year that it hoped for a partnership evolving into a marijuana-based product awaiting Virginia’s legal market as pivot between federal changes.

Redfern also asked Vindman to consider adjustments to the federal Farm Bill, which Congress is in the process of rewriting. Lawmakers added a provision to the government’s spending bill last fall that establishes a future ban on most hemp-based products.

“You’re a picker,” Vindman replied. “Let’s see what’s in the realm of possibility.”

Although hemp and marijuana are both types of the cannabis plant, it is the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, that federal lawmakers have looked at.

“Cannabis that is hemp will produce cannabinoids,” Redfern said. “It is impossible to create any industry in the world of industrial hemp without bringing the plant to maturity, which will produce cannabinoids, which will now be marijuana.”

Marijuana-derived THC remains illegal at the federal level, but some states have legalized it. Hemp also contains the compound.

Congress’s 2018 Farm Bill opened the door for entrepreneurial hemp farmers to expand their portfolios as long as they keep their products below a specific concentration of THC. Congressional updates last year will further restrict and essentially ban most hemp products.

Last week, the US House passed the newest version of the Farm Bill, and it will now go to the US Senate for revision. However, subsequent bipartisan efforts to repeal the illegalization of hemp did not survive.

As the nation’s legislature continues to deliberate on the issue, Vindman expressed interest in continuing hemp talks in DC.

At the state level, he said his office has had a friendly relationship with Spanberger, so he planned to speak with him to convey Redfern’s concerns.

This story was first published by the Virginia Mercury.

Marihuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Massachusetts CCC pauses license applications

Published

6 hours ago

on

June 17, 2026

By











The Cannabis Control Commission, the government body that oversees the marijuana business in the state of Massachusetts (USA), has decided to temporarily stop accepting new license applications for growing marijuana, both indoors and outdoors. This hiatus officially began on June 16, 2026.

Anyone planning to apply for a new marijuana cultivation license after June 16, 2026 will not be able to do so while this suspension is in effect. The Commission will not accept such requests during this period.

There are two groups that can continue normally. First, anyone who submitted an application before June 16, 2026, will continue to review and process applications as usual. Second, applicants for specific programs designed to help communities historically affected by drug laws, known as the Social Equity Program and the Economic Empowerment Program, are exempt from this suspension if they apply for a smaller-scale “Microenterprise” license.

The suspension will be in effect for 120 days from June 16, 2026, which is currently scheduled to be lifted around mid-October 2026. However, the Commission has the power to terminate earlier or extend further, depending on market conditions.

Source: Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission










Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Federal Marijuana Rescheduling ‘Does Not Appear To Apply’ To Washington Businesses, State Officials Say

Published

6 hours ago

on

June 17, 2026

By

Marijuana regulators in Washington say the Trump administration’s move to re-regulate cannabis at the federal level “doesn’t appear to apply” to the state’s businesses.

US Department of Justice in April He issued an order that immediately reclassified the state’s licensed medical cannabisas well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule I through Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). A trial scheduled for this month will take place consider marijuana III.

“Washington does not issue licenses to producers, processors or retailers of medical cannabis,” the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) said in guidelines released Tuesday. “Instead, Washington has a single recreational market and within that market producers/processors can manufacture (DOH) compliant products, and certain retailers can sell DOH-compliant products to adult patients and all designated providers.”

“Therefore, Washington cannabis licensees do not appear to qualify as ‘state medical marijuana licensees’ and therefore may not be eligible for registration under the final Rule,” the agency said, referring to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Registration process for legal marijuana businesses in the state to take advantage of the federal benefits that come with the reform.

That said, the LCB “does not take a position if licensees decide to apply for federal registration,” the guidance continues. “If a licensee is seeking federal registration, we would be interested in learning about their experience and federal decisions.”

However, “based on our analysis, the federal reorganization in its current form does not appear to apply to cannabis licensees in Washington, primarily because of the legal framework governing recreational cannabis,” the LCB said.

The agency emphasized, however, that while it has consulted with the Cannabis Regulatory Association, the National Governors Association and industry stakeholders, its current opinion does not represent Washington’s formal opinion and “may not be our final interpretation as information is evolving and the decision may not rest with the state.”

“We await additional guidance from the federal agencies involved, new or updated federal agency processes and/or other federal procedures,” he said. he saidreferring to the next administrative hearing and Ongoing litigation calls into question the rescheduling of cannabis.

“The LCB recognizes that there are many cannabis growers, processors, and retailers actively involved in the production and sale of medical cannabis in Washington. These businesses may or may not be eligible to use the 280e tax deduction, and may also register with the DEA III. Ultimately, they have no input into whether their licensees meet the criteria for “state medical marijuana licensees,” as that determination can be made unilaterally by the DOJ within the meaning of the Final Rule. to reasonably interpret and determine that Washington cannabis licensees qualify as “state medical marijuana licensees.”

The US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issued new tax guidelines for the marijuana industry after reprogramming. The reform will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions that are currently prohibited under IRS Code Section III, known as Section 280E.

In California, regulators recently approved emergency rule changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process. to make it easier for companies to receive benefits In line with the Trump administration’s latest move to federally regulate medical cannabis.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Continue Reading

Cannabis News

How New Zealand showed up in London’s cannabis industry

Published

1 day ago

on

June 16, 2026

By

The medical cannabis market is expected to grow from $47 billion to $149 billion by 2031, and New Zealand has a real role to play in that story. And thanks in large part to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the government’s international business development agency, Puro is starting to play.

At Cannabis Europa 2026 London, NZTE hosted an evening event at the City Arts Bar with Puro, New Zealand companies Bluelab, Rua Bioscience and CannFX. Puro called it The NZ Room.

Beyond all things Kiwiana – including Puro brand kiwifruit, Kiwi’d – the room was filled with some pretty amazing people: Ivy League scientists, company founders, patients, advocates, industry players, government officials, Maori tribal leaders and a tough Scotsman. All in the same space with the same true passion for where this industry is going.

It was one of those rooms where conversations went well when they had to end. That’s usually a sign of something well done.

Made possible by NZTE
For Puro, the NZTE relationship has been formative. With ongoing support, Puro has entered the Australian market with 47 unique product SKUs and signed a £7 million supply agreement with UK distributor IPS Pharma.

NZTE understands the potential of the New Zealand cannabis industry. The willingness to support this nascent industry and put New Zealand in the spotlight at events like Cannabis Europa is very significant. New Zealand is a small country and the country’s credibility in international markets is built from relationship to relationship, room by room. NZTE helps build those rooms.

© Cigar

what’s next
For the first time, patients in the UK have access to medicinal cannabis grown in New Zealand. That’s the direct result of years of work by Puro’s team, but it’s not worth much if you can’t connect with buyers globally. Creating international relationships that events like Cannabis Europa make this possible.

“We are grateful for the extensive support from the New Zealand Government that drives our progress, including the Ministry of Primary Industries’ support for our genetic breeding, product innovation and market access goals. This collective effort from agencies such as the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, NZTE and the New Zealand Export Credit Bureau ensures that Mail that started in London will continue to grow in Puro’s international goals,” he said. a statement

For more information:
clean
www.puro.co.nz

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2021 The Art of MaryJane Media