There’s a conversation happening across the cannabis and hemp industries that’s long overdue. For years, adult-use cannabis and hemp have operated in separate regulatory universes: different frameworks, different supply chains, different advocacy ecosystems.
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The False Divide
The 2018 Farm Bill drew a line at 0.3 percent THC, creating two regulatory realities for one plant. That line made sense as a policy entry point, but it created fragmentation that has slowed progress on both sides and left consumers navigating a confusing, uneven marketplace. The good news? Industry leaders are choosing collaboration over competition, and the results are starting to show.
A Movement of Organizations, Not Just One Voice
Early last month, NCIA Board Chairman Adam Rosenberg and cannabis attorney Eric Berlin published an op-ed in Marijuana Moment documenting a landmark milestone: leaders from across the marijuana and hemp spectrum, organized into a working group called “the Commission,” reached consensus on ten shared policy principles representing thousands of businesses across the full cannabinoid spectrum.
Those principles are a blueprint: regulate products rather than source material; restrict THC ingestibles to adults 21+; establish uniform labeling and testing standards; permit interstate commerce; and keep non-naturally occurring synthetic cannabinoids out of the cannabis regulatory category.
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NCIA isn’t the only organization doing this work. The Hemp Beverage Alliance (HBA) has built a nearly 400-member coalition working with distributors, retailers, and state lawmakers to normalize hemp beverages in mainstream channels. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable has been one of the most effective voices on Capitol Hill for Farm Bill reform. The Hemp Industry & Farmers of America (HIFA) emerged in 2025 as a grassroots force mobilizing advocacy against overreaching federal restrictions. And the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives (CABA) is taking the fight to federal lobbying, advocating for hemp-derived THC beverage access through traditional retail with the consumer safety standards that give legislators something real to work with.
Each organization is approaching the problem from a different angle. Together, they represent an industry finally speaking with a unified voice.
Consumer Access Is the North Star
Consumer access has to be the organizing principle behind every policy decision this industry makes. Right now, a person can walk into a licensed dispensary and buy a product that has met rigorous state compliance standards, or pick up hemp products at some gas stations with no testing, no accurate labeling, and no accountability. Both might contain THC. Only one operates under meaningful oversight. Closing that gap isn’t anti-hemp, it’s pro-consumer. Consumer trust, once lost, is hard to rebuild, and bad actors in an unregulated market are the problem.
Seeds, Genetics, and the Foundation Nobody’s Talking About
If consumer access is the north star, seeds and genetics are the soil everything grows from, and they remain one of the most under-addressed issues in cannabis and hemp policy.
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I recently asked Laura Campanella, CEO of Brothers Grimm Seeds, for her take on the current climate. Laura is one of the most vocal advocates fighting on behalf of cannabis seed consumers, breeders, and operators.
“Seeds are not the problem, they’re the foundation. We’re advocating for policy that protects innovation, preserves genetic diversity, and supports the future of cannabis as a legitimate agricultural industry.
We’re aligning breeders, retailers, and global partners under one mission: educate, advocate, and protect. That’s how real change happens. We’re building bridges; the industry doesn’t need more noise, it needs unity. And unity starts with protecting the seeds that built all of us.”
Hemp farmers have faced persistent genetics challenges since 2018. The USDA’s approved variety list has lagged behind the science, leaving growers caught between market demand and legal compliance. A crop that tests even slightly above the 0.3 percent threshold can mean total loss, not because of farmer error, but because the regulatory framework hasn’t kept pace with plant genetics.
On the adult-use cannabis side, operators can’t move finished products across state lines. Breeders, processors, and farmers will be constrained by state rules that treat seeds and clones as contraband the moment they cross a border, stifling innovation and concentrating genetic diversity in ways that weaken the industry’s long-term health. A unified federal framework must address varietal approval timelines, genetic testing standards, breeder IP protections, and legal interstate movement of plant material. Getting seeds and genetics right isn’t a niche concern; it’s the foundation every product on every shelf is built on.
How You Can Help
There’s a role for everyone. Operators and industry professionals: join a trade organization that reflects your corner of the market. NCIA, HBA, USRT, HIFA, and CABA each offer membership pathways, advocacy infrastructure, and a seat at the table where these decisions are being made. Membership isn’t just a line item; it’s a vote for the industry you want to be part of. And DONATE!
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Consumers: your voice matters more than you might think. Most of these organizations provide tools on their websites to help you contact your lawmakers directly, pre-written messages, legislator lookup tools, and clear guidance on what to say. You don’t need a lobbyist. You need five minutes and a zip code.
The plant doesn’t know the difference between hemp and cannabis. It’s time our regulatory system—and our industry—caught up.
*This article was submitted by an unpaid guest contributor. The opinions or statements within do not necessarily reflect those of GreenState or HNP. The author is solely responsible for the content.