A coalition of hemp cultivators and processors in Connecticut has initiated a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court, asserting that recent state legislation sharply conflicts with the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill’s definition of hemp.
The plaintiffs—including growers Michael Goodenough, Darren Cugno, Norman Plude, Wells Farming, and processor Ricardo Sotil—argue that laws enacted in 2023, which significantly lowered THC concentration thresholds, have effectively reclassified many hemp-derived products as marijuana. Consequently, the number of licensed hemp operations in the state has plummeted by nearly 80%, according to the lawsuit.
Under the federal standard established by the Farm Bill, cannabis containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC (by dry weight) qualifies as hemp and is federally permissible. Connecticut’s hemp plan, which aligned with this standard, received federal approval in December 2021.
However, the new state statutes—effective October 1—impose more restrictive limits: a maximum of 1 mg of THC per serving and 0.5 mg per product unit for manufactured hemp goods. These thresholds fall well below federally acceptable levels and, according to the plaintiffs, render many licensed operations virtually nonviable.
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