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House Passes Farm Bill Targeting Intoxicating Hemp, Senate Up Next

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House Passes Farm Bill Targeting Intoxicating Hemp, Senate Up Next

In our latest Trade To Black podcast presented by Flowhub, hosts Shadd Dales and Anthony Varrell welcome Michael Bronstein, president of the American Hemp and Hemp Trade Association. Together, we will move forward on changes in hemp and hemp policy, including Farm Bill updates, reclassification updates, and hemp in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The House has passed its version of the Farm Bill, and inside is language that tightens the definition of hemp and targets toxic products like Delta-8, THCA and synthetic cannabinoids. The bill heads to the Senate, where the debate is becoming more important, and Sen. Rand Paul is one of the main names to watch as lawmakers decide whether this hemp language stays, changes or is challenged. Plus the latest on hemp rearrangements. Medical cannabis has officially been moved to Schedule III, and the DEA has scheduled a hearing for June 29 to determine whether marijuana should follow suit entirely. That opens the door to a big debate about what the federal framework looks like from here. They also enter Virginia’s adult-use deadline and the recent uncertainty surrounding Pennsylvania’s legalization.

We begin the discussion on the expected legal challenge related to the rescheduling of cannabis, from smart approaches to marijuana (SAM). With the DEA already accepting applications under the new framework, guest Michael Bronstein believes SAM faces an uphill battle, noting that bicameral support for reclassification from the Biden and Trump administrations makes it extremely unlikely that a stay will be granted.

The 2024 Farm Bill passed the House with hemp language that redefined the plant to include only natural, non-intoxicating cannabinoids, effectively targeting Delta-8, THCA flower, and much of the synthetic hemp market. Bronstein cautioned that the Senate vote remains a high stakes, noting that the bill is already burdened by competing priorities, with the summer recess fast approaching and a November deadline creating additional pressure.

At the state level, the panel addressed comments from the presumptive Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, who publicly said he would veto any bill to legalize adult use and suggested Senate Republicans block it as long as they have a majority. Bronstein noted that the comments have attracted widespread media attention and argued that the position seems increasingly out of step with federal momentum.

Finally, the hosts turned to Virginia, where Governor Spanberger has until the end of May to sign, veto or allow the legalization bill to become law without his signature. This and more when you join.

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ALJ Hearing Week: What To Watch For

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ALJ Hearing Week: What To Watch For

Shad Dales and Anthony Varrell opened Monday Trade to blackPresented by Flowhub, our thoughts on Trulieve’s (NYSE: TRLV ) CEO Kim Rivers’ update on Friday confirmed that it has officially ended the automatic vesting plan it implemented back in March. The guys are also getting into a new bill from New Jersey that would allow liquor stores and some ABC-licensed bars to sell low-dose THC drinks, with up to 10 mg of THC per can. Then Michael Bronstein, president of the American Hemp and Hemp Trade Association, joins us for his Monday segment as we wrap up the ALJ’s first day.

Truelieve’s Kim Rivers says she has officially ended the automatic stock holding plan she introduced back in March. The plan was announced shortly after Trulieve began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. He posted late Friday that it was now over. The hosts broke down why the timing stood out and discussed how the layoff could signal Rivers’ confidence in the company’s trajectory.

Before bringing in their main guest, the hosts discussed a new bill out of New Jersey that would allow liquor stores and certain ABC-licensed bars to sell low-dose THC drinks with a limit of ten milligrams per can. The bill also extends the cannabis beverage regulations until November 13, 2026, and updates the display and serving size guidelines.

The keynote was presented by Michael Bronstein, president of the American Hemp and Hemp Trade Association, joining the first day of ALJ hearings in Arlington, Virginia. Bronstein laid out what the industry really needs to look out for when the proceedings begin; He emphasized the importance of DEA counsel making it clear that these hearings are specifically about rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III, not adult or recreational legalization, and noted the important nature of the United States government officially declaring that cannabis is safer than alcohol;

Be sure to hear our thoughts.



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Industry Sentiment vs Reality – Could The Hemp Ban Be Extended?

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Industry Sentiment vs Reality - Could The Hemp Ban Be Extended?

On Thursday Trade to blackpresented by Flowhub. Jim Higdon, co-founder of Cornbread Hemp, joins us to break down developments out of Washington. Reports have surfaced that the Trump administration has approached Congress about a proposed ban on cannabis. This immediately raises questions about whether the November 12 deadline could be pushed back, softened, or materially changed before their second guest segment. FundCanna CEO Adam Stettner also joins us from last week’s Chicago conference.

In the first segment, Adam Stetter, CEO of FundCanna, updated the IgniteIt conference in Chicago with a perspective that cut through the sheer festivity that many attendees brought home. While acknowledging that the optimism in the room was real and well-founded, Stettner said he pressed operators with a more difficult question. What does positive sentiment really mean for your business now? He found that most had difficulty answering specifically.

He described the gap not as a reason for pessimism, but as a call for discipline. long-term momentum is building, but near-term fundamentals have yet to change significantly, and operators who mistake optimism for improving business risk making ill-timed moves.

In part two, Jim Higdon, co-founder of Cornbread Hemp, broke down developments in Washington around hemp prohibition. He described the White House’s latest message to Congress as the fourth meaningful shot at a legislative fix this year, and noted that the coalition seeking a solution is growing and the administration is getting more specific, now openly calling for Andy Barr’s bill or an extension of the framework as part of an additional appropriations package.

Higdon emphasized that Cornbread Hemp is focused on maintaining two routes; supplement-style full-spectrum CBD products with one or about three milligrams of THC per serving, consistent with the CMS Medicare pilot program, and low-dose beverages dispensed through a three-tier alcohol system. He was careful to distinguish those products from smoking cannabis flower, which he said is the main source of friction between cannabis and the state-licensed cannabis industry.

This and more when you join.

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Institutions Evaluate Cannabis While Trulieve CEO Sells Shares

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Institutions Evaluate Cannabis While Trulieve CEO Sells Shares

Shad Dales and Anthony Varrell hosted a special Friday morning edition Trade to blackpresented by Flowhub. We start with Safe Harbor Financial (NASDAQ: SHFS ) CEO Terry Mendez and his thoughts on the IgniteIt conference. Then Andrew O’Connell, author of the Pristine Capital Substack and former US Investment Champions, presents new data on recent insider activity related to Trulieve (NYSE: TRLV ) and CEO Kim Rivers.

The presenters opened by noting that the DEA has signaled its intention to emphasize testimony about the medical benefits of marijuana at hearings, making the scientific and medical record front and center;

In the first segment, Safe Harbor Financial (NASDAQ: SHFS ) CEO Terry Mendez joined the IgniteIt conference in Chicago to discuss what he sees from institutional banks as they quietly begin to prepare for the future impact of cannabis. He described a financial sector that is increasingly curious, but still cautious, where banks are seeking education on how to value space, how the compliance of cannabis infrastructure is required, and how consolidation among operators will affect deposit relationships and loan demand.

In the second installment, Andrew O’Connell, author of Pristine Capital Substack and former US Investment Championship contestant, is back to break down new information about recent insider activity involving Trulieve (NYSE: TRLV ) and CEO Kim Rivers. He explained that the sale of his stock was part of a standard 10b5-1 plan announced in March ahead of the NYSE float, giving investors a 90-day window before any trades could take place with an independent executing broker handling the trade and removing Rivers from any discretionary involvement.

He reviewed volume data that showed his sales represented five to seven percent of the day’s trading in several sessions, noted that roughly 91 percent of the first tranche of 1.7 million shares was completed, and emphasized that Rivers retains an ownership stake of roughly 9 percent, worth about $150 million. Hear the full interview when you listen.

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