In Washington this week, lawmakers hurried to reopen the federal government, but for hemp growers in Door County, the victory song might sound more like a warning. The new spending deal includes a provision aimed at the burgeoning hemp industry, one that could upend how local farmers grow, market and sell their crops.
Under the language tucked into the CR, any hemp-derived product intended for human or animal use would be limited to 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, and must not include “intoxicating” cannabinoids created through chemical synthesis.
For many farmers and processors in Door County who have built businesses around CBD oils, gummies or other wellness-products derived from industrial hemp, this could mean having to overhaul entire product lines or shift away from consumables entirely. Tim Roberts, owner of Gray-Aire Farms in Baileys Harbor, says that the new laws are complicated and definitely throw a wrench into an already difficult business model. He says that with the endless regulations and big money lobbies, the farm and even other big hemp companies are exploring their options regarding an overhaul of products and fighting back with their own lobbyists.
For Door County’s growers, the provision does preserve industrial hemp crops grown for fiber, grain, oil or non-consumable uses. That means that if a Door County farmer focuses strictly on hemp for textiles, seed or biomass rather than edible or topical products, there is at least a path forward. But switching gears is trivial, local farms have built relationships, local processors and retail outlets based on the wellness of hemp. Local hemp farmers say that if Wisconsin follows through with the proposed restrictions, they may go out of business or leave the state altogether.
Community leaders in Door County are already discussing how this shift might ripple through the local economy. Small farms might struggle to stay viable or keep employees if their revenue from consumable hemp products shrinks. Meanwhile, local retailers that carry hemp wellness items may find their shelves empty or need to pivot.
The provision does have a grace period as many of its restrictions won’t kick in immediately, but the clock is ticking. Farmers, processors and local officials in Door County are watching closely, attending meetings and talking strategy. Because when a Washington deal redefines hemp overnight, a Door County farm converts those acres into more than plants, it’s a livelihood.
