Bent Paddle Shares Concerns Regarding Federal Hemp Ban

DULUTH, Minn. — Congress voted to reopen the Federal Government Wednesday night, and in doing so, passed a bill federally banning hemp-derived THC products. Before the Government reopened, Bent Paddle, a local brewery, shared its concerns regarding the hemp ban.

The bill came as a shock to many people in the industry, including the CEO and Director of Operations for Bent Paddle, Bryon Tonnis. The brewery sells beverages and gummies containing between five and ten milligrams per serving, just like many other businesses throughout the region. The language change in the bill redefines hemp-derived products, limiting them to .4 milligrams of THC per container, which Tonnis says would essentially ban the products across the board, greatly impacting his business and many others across the country.

Previous Story: Proposed Wisconsin hemp regulation bill creates uncertainty

“It equates to about 40% of our revenue as a company, we have 45 employees, and so if 40% of our revenue disappears, it would have devastating effects on our company, not only our tap room, but our production facility here,” said Tonnis. “There are quite a few other production facilities in Duluth that manufacture these products as well, and it would have the same effect on them.”

Over the last few years, people across the state have invested a significant amount of time and money in the industry, relying on the revenue generated from hemp-derived products.

MN Craft Brewer’s Gild Responds to Federal Hemp-Derived THC Ban

“We’ve talked to five or six other businesses that are in the manufacturing and retail side of it, and they’re all concerned,” said Tonnis. “What was really concerning about the way this happened is how fast it happened, finding out four to five days before a vote that this could be something that could actually come to fruition, is it shakes us.”

Tonnis says this is going to drastically change Bent Paddle and businesses across the nation moving forward. What he does know is that the bill will take effect a year from now.