Greetings!
Below is a letter just released by our friends at the North Atlantic Seed Company, signed by over 100 businesses, regarding the cannabis seed issue:
Dear Valued Customer,
We’re writing to share an important update on recent changes in U.S. federal law that affect cannabis seeds, hemp, and the broader cannabis industry.
Hemp Law Changes & Cannabis Seeds
Recent revisions to the definition of hemp1 as originally set forth in the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill2 have narrowed the federal definition of hemp, including re-defining the legal parameters for when cannabis seeds are considered “hemp”. With respect to seeds, the new hemp definition still requires them to contain no more than 0.3% THC. Additionally, in order to be considered “hemp”, the new law mandates that cannabis seeds must be harvested from a plant that contains no more than 0.3% THC.
Notably, and contrary to some media reports, the new law does not prohibit seeds based on the type of plants that they might produce. Instead, it restricts cannabis seeds based on the type of plant that they come from.3 This has introduced new legal uncertainty around the sale and interstate movement of cannabis seeds. At a minimum, it may create regulatory and enforcement issues since the legal metric has been changed from the THC levels in a cannabis seed to the THC levels in the plant that produced the seed. It remains to be seen whether and how this new provision will be enforced.
Federal Cannabis Reclassification
At the same time, the U.S. government has initiated the process of reclassifying ‘marijuana’ (cannabis) from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.4 This represents a meaningful shift in federal policy, acknowledging accepted medical use of the plant and potentially easing regulatory and tax burdens for certain stakeholders while also setting in place the foundation for a more comprehensive policy. The rulemaking phase of the EO will provide further instruction on the specifics of the reclassification. We are closely tracking implications for seeds and interstate commerce.
What This Means & What’s Next
Together, these changes create both opportunity and risk for the cannabis genetics community. We are actively assessing the implications and coordinating with industry partners, lobbyists, and legal groups on next steps.
What is clear is that things are changing. We are reaching out to you today to ask that you stay tuned while we work to bring clarity and guidance as the situation develops. Working together will be instrumental to protect what we’ve all built.
In the coming weeks, we will share specific actions you can take as part of the effort to protect access to cannabis seeds and genetic diversity, to include:
· Participating in lobbying, petition and letter writing efforts
· Engaging with local and national media and advocacy groups
· Supporting efforts to extend the current hemp transition period from 12 months to 36 months, giving the industry more time to adapt responsibly
· Protect state programs and markets, or
· Other legislative proposals that further the cause.
Your participation will be critical as policymakers finalize how these rules are implemented. We will need broad grass roots, veteran groups and community support to clearly demonstrate how these changes affect:
● Access to medical and affordable wellness options
● Small businesses and your local economies
● Public safety (restricting seeds does not improve it)
● Patient choice and genetic diversity
● Fair compliance timelines — for example, extending the transition period in Section 781 from 12 months to an appropriate timeline to allow responsible businesses and consumers to adapt without unnecessary harm.
Thank you for your continued trust and support. We will be in touch again soon as developments continue and further information becomes available.
Warm regards,
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#Hydro Inc |
812 Island Creek Road LLC |
Ace Seeds |
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Adam Proctor Native Oklahoma Magazine - Tribal Oklahoma |
ApothePuma, LLC |
Atlas Seed Company |
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Attitude Seed Bank USA |
Barney's Farm |
Big Dream Organics |
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Bio Rad Labs - Kyle Boyar (Field Application Scientist) |
Blimburn Seeds |
Brent Meaglia - Silk Road Heirlooms dba Heirloom Cannabis Co. |
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Cali Vybe Hydroponics |
Cannabis Chemistry Collection - Russ Hudson - Cannabis Phytochemical Researcher, Author of TH e Big Book of Terps, Compliance / Licensing and Regulatory Affairs |
CannaGrow LLC |
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Capital City Organics |
Constance Johnson - AKA Senator Connie Johnson - Oklahoma |
Deep Green LLC Haiku HI |
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Dr. Anna Schwabe |
Dr. Greenthumb Landscape Services LLC |
Earthdance Global LLC Haiku HI |
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Fast Buds |
Forest King Farms LLC |
Frank Alvarez- Gil IC Seeds - Brothers Grimm Farms |
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Full Circle Farm |
Garden World |
Gardening Indoor |
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GHSC / Green House Seed Company |
Gnome Automatics |
Green Fox Farms |
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Greenhouse Seed Company |
Grower's Paradise |
GROWPHER INC. |
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Happy Valley Genetics |
Hawaii Cannabis Expo Honolulu HI |
Hawaiian Budline Hilo HI |
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Head in the Trees LLC |
HempBlissFarms |
herseedbank.com (HER Seeds NY LLC) |
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Hippie Krack Genetiks |
Hydro Farms- David Schaller (Educator and Award Winning Cultivation) |
I Love Hydroponics |
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Indoor Gardens |
Indoorganics Plus |
Jasin Adams Pollen Nation Cultivation |
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Julie Davenson, Vice President of the Northeast |
Kalib Aragon Soul Stone Tattoo |
Katahdin Kure, LLC |
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Kungfu Video and DVD |
Lamb's Breath Seeds/ Jim Riddle |
Laura and Rick Campanella- Brothers Grimm Genetics |
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Legacy Gardens |
LIT Farms |
Litsingers ScreenPrint and Embroidery |
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Makai Medicinals Kihei HI |
Malachi Gardens |
Matthew Krempel - BGS Sales |
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Medical Cannabis Advocates Makawao HI |
Melanie McClaughlin - President of Montel Media |
Melanie McLaughlin - Let's Be Blunt |
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Montel Williams - Lets Be Blunt Podcast |
Mosca Seeds |
MzJill TGA Genetics |
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N H Corp / www.nhmn.co |
NATIVE HEALTH - Timothy Houseberg, (Scientist & CEO) |
Night Owl Seeds |
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North Atlantic Seed Co. |
One Stop Gas Shop |
Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire |
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Paul Lawr - Multiverse Beans |
Plant World |
Pudding Hill Farm |
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Quad City Gardening & Equipment Supply |
Quinn Lapeyre - CEO Cali Sober Recovery Program |
Rank N Dank Seeds |
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Rare Dankness |
Ravens View Genetics |
Realbudz |
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Reefer Red's |
Rob Boyd - 430 Cannabis Brand (and is talking to Senator in AZ0 |
Robin Hood Seeds |
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Royal Queen Seeds |
Rush Smokes and Liquor |
S. Bear Farm, LLC |
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Secret Garden Supply Co LLC |
Seedsman |
Silverstar Seedbank |
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Simple Pleasures |
Simple Pleasures Wellness |
Smithsoniam Genetics |
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Souzza LLC |
Square One Genetics |
Sticky Finger Seeds Paia HI |
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Sugar Kush USA |
Super Dank seeds Bank LLC |
Super Natural Seeds |
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Tastebudz Seeds |
The Fountain Cannabis Company LLC |
The Gas House Apotheco |
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The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut Inc |
Thomas Edgertton Sunshine to Soil Solutions |
Three Faces Tobacco Shop |
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Tomina LaCore - Consultant Self |
Trilogene Seeds - Matthew Haddad |
Twenty20 Mendocino |
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Urban Farmer Direct |
Vermont Grow Barn |
Victoria Rouland - Subcool Seeds |
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WTP, LLC |
Ziplock Seeds Medford OR |
Dirty Bird Genetics |