Federal Hemp Ban Pushed By GOP Is A ‘Step Backward,’ Democratic Congresswoman Says (Op-Ed)

*“Our governments, farmers and small businesses need more guidance and
regulatory certainty—not blanket bans.”*

*By U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), via MinnPost*

Since Congress legalized hemp in 2018, Minnesota’s hemp industry has
blossomed.

In the roughly two and a half years since Minnesota signed its own hemp
legalization bill into law, hemp has grown into a $200 million a year
industry, creating thousands of local jobs in everything from farming and
brewing to soapmaking and textiles. It has flourished because Minnesota
stepped up to do things the right way by implementing smart and reasonable
regulation at the state level.

But a few weeks ago, congressional Republicans decided to turn back the
clock on the progress Minnesota’s hemp industry has made—threatening local
jobs, small businesses, tax revenue and innovation along with it.

Much to my disappointment, they did so without talking to Minnesota
stakeholders or engaging with the committees most involved in the hemp
supply chain—from growth to final product. That includes the House
Agriculture Committee, where I serve as the top Democrat. Since then, my
office has been flooded with calls, emails and letters from concerned
Minnesotans.

If the federal government is to get involved in hemp production and sales
at the state level, it ought to do so by providing regulatory clarity and
market structure for a growing industry—not by adopting one-size-fits-all
policies that upend a critical economic engine overnight.

In Minnesota, hemp supports jobs at 132 licensed growers, 96 licensed
processors and over 2,000 retailers.

Despite only a minority of Minnesotans reporting regular use of cannabis or
hemp-derived products, a majority—over 60 percent—say they support its
legalization. These Minnesotans are not a monolith. Everyone from veterans
to hockey moms use hemp-infused products, and consumer choice would be
restricted by federal overreach.

This newly passed law gives Congress one year to determine a path forward
that protects Minnesota small businesses and consumers.

Instead of taking a step backward, Congress should look to taking the next
step forward to create regulatory certainty for hemp products nationwide.
Federal agencies need to know who is in charge, and who regulates what.
While certain decisions can be left to the states—in the same way that
states are allowed to regulate the sales of alcohol—the federal government
still has a role to play regarding which agencies have jurisdiction over
what aspects of the cannabis industry.

Everyone from veterans to hockey moms use hemp-infused products, and
(despite what my Republican colleagues think) it's not the federal
government’s place to get involved.

I’m supporting the family farmers that grow hemp, the small businesses that
process it and the Minnesota… pic.twitter.com/UMjhqvcYG3

— Angie Craig (@RepAngieCraig) December 3, 2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture should establish the guidelines and
regulations for the growth and production of hemp, including hemp fiber and
grain—a surprising source of protein. The Food and Drug Administration
likely needs to engage around hemp-infused edibles and beverages, dietary
supplements, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. Other federal agencies
likely need to have a say in other areas, including the Federal Trade
Commission, which could influence how these products are marketed and
advertised across the country, and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
Bureau, which has experience regulating the production of intoxicating
substances.

I have been at the forefront of this effort. In 2020, I joined a cohort of
Minnesota lawmakers to call on federal agencies to coordinate and
streamline hemp rules so that Minnesota farmers, businesses and tribes
could benefit from the budding industry.

In 2023, I worked across the aisle and put forth bipartisan legislation to
protect consumers and ensure food and dietary supplements made with
cannabidiol (commonly referred to as CBD) were properly regulated.

Any solution must also address the very real concerns expressed by
retailers, parents and law enforcement. That includes preventing
hemp-derived products from being marketed to children in the same way that
vapes and e-cigarettes have been, with their eye-catching colors and
bubblegum-flavored cartridges.

Their worries make sense. I’ve seen firsthand the jobs and opportunities
that legal hemp provides in Minnesota and heard from concerned parents
about unregulated hemp-products. I applaud our state for setting the gold
standard for hemp regulation and oversight when the federal government
would not. Our governments, farmers and small businesses need more guidance
and regulatory certainty—not blanket bans.

I stand ready to continue my work in Congress to support the Minnesota
farmers who grow hemp, the small businesses that process it, and the
Minnesota brewers and small businesses that produce and sell safe regulated
products.

*Rep. Angie Craig, a Democrat, represents Minnesota’s 2nd congressional
district and is a candidate for U.S. Senate. *

This article first appeared on MinnPost and is republished here under a Creative
Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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