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NIHC Initiative

Advocacy & Policy Center

Know what changes affect your business the moment it moves. Federal and state legislation, international policy, public comment windows, and NIHC's positions — distilled into policy signals you can act on.

224–200
2026 Farm Bill — House
0.3%
Federal THC definition
50
State frameworks tracked

Policy Signals

What happened — and what to do about it

Every policy signal answers the five questions: what happened, why it matters, who's affected, who's involved, and what to do next.

Federal2026 Farm Bill

House passes the 2026 Farm Bill with hemp provisions, 224–200

Why
Reauthorizes the hemp program and revisits the total-THC definition that governs the entire market.
Who
Every licensed grower, processor, and product maker operating under the 2018 Farm Bill framework.
Next
Watch the Senate markup; submit comment through the window below.
TradeUSDA FAS

NIHC secures USDA Market Access Program cooperator status

Why
Unlocks federal funding for international promotion of U.S. hemp — a direct export-growth lever.
Who
Exporters and organizations targeting the EU, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
Next
Access the program through the Global Market Access Center.

Federal Legislation

What's moving in Washington

Active

Farm, Food & National Security Act of 2026

Hemp reauthorization; the total-THC definition and "intoxicating hemp" language are the provisions to watch.

Rulemaking

FDA cannabinoid pathway

The open question of a federal regulatory pathway for CBD in food and supplements.

Rulemaking

USDA hemp production rule

Sampling, testing, and disposal requirements under the domestic hemp program.

State Legislation

50 frameworks, one view

Licensing rules, THC thresholds, and Delta-8 status change state by state. Track them alongside the regulations that implement them.

Trend

Intoxicating-hemp restrictions

A wave of states are moving to cap or ban Delta-8 / THCA products — the fastest-changing area of state law.

Trend

Licensing & testing mandates

States are tightening lab-testing and licensing requirements for cultivators and processors.

Tool

Jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction tracker

The regulatory intelligence layer monitors agency guidance state by state.

Open the tracker →

International Policy

Global rules that shape trade

EU

Novel Food & THC field limit

The EU raised its agricultural THC limit and continues to shape the CBD Novel Food pathway.

Thailand

Mid-2025 cultivation framework

Formalized cultivation, distribution, and marketing under the Ministry of Public Health.

India

NDPS §10 & state pilots

State-permitted cultivation ≤0.3% THC; Himachal Pradesh approved a controlled pilot in Jan 2025.

See in Market Access →

Public Comment Opportunities

Make the industry's voice count

Open

USDA hemp program comment window

Weigh in on sampling and testing requirements before they're finalized.

Open

State intoxicating-hemp rulemakings

Several states have active comment periods on Delta-8 / THCA policy.

Coordinate

Submit through NIHC

Add your organization's voice to a coordinated industry comment. Get involved →

NIHC Position Papers

Where the industry stands

Position

On the total-THC definition

NIHC's stance on how "hemp" should be defined and measured in the next Farm Bill.

Position

On global market access

The case for federal investment in hemp export promotion and trade infrastructure.

Position

On standards-based verification

Why third-party accreditation should anchor consumer and export trust. See NIHC Verify →

Government Updates

Straight from the agencies

USDA
$739M
2025 U.S. hemp production value
NASS National Hemp Report, Apr 2026
USDA
$72.9M
Specialty-crop grant funding, FY2025
AMS · SAC Competitive Grants
FAS
MAP
Market Access Program cooperator status
Foreign Agricultural Service
House
224–200
2026 Farm Bill passage vote
H.R.7567

AI Policy Summaries

Ask what a change means for you

The ecosystem AI reads across federal, state, and international policy and explains it in plain language for your situation.

Try

"How does the 2026 Farm Bill affect Delta-8?"

Summarizes the relevant provisions and their business impact. Ask the ecosystem →

Try

"Which states restrict THCA this year?"

Returns the current state-by-state picture with sources.

Try

"What comment windows are open now?"

Lists active rulemakings you can weigh in on.

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