Hemp ban threatens cannabis drink business locally

A provision in the funding bill that reopened the federal government could change the US hemp industry, affecting businesses right here in Wausau.

The provision, signed with the bill that reopened the government, closes a loophole created by the 2018 Farm Bill. The loophole allowed for the development and sale of hemp-derived products. 

The new law would take effect next September. And it’s likely to impact sales for hemp-derived drinks and the businesses that sell them, like Forward Beverage Company in Wausau. They sell non-alcoholic beverages and “social seltzers,” which contain hemp-derived CBD and THC. 

Paul says the ban would change what they’re able to sell.

“There was language put into that bill that made the legal limit of THC from hemp 0.4 milligrams, which would effectively ban 95% of the products in the hemp market right now,” says Paul Yanzer, who co-founded the business with his wife, Amy.

More than half of Forward Beverage Company’s sales are THC drinks. Amy Yanzer said if the ban takes effect, they would have to find other ingredients.

“Another plan that we have for our business, because we’re a non-ALC company, is to lean into other types of plants and adaptogens to create functional beverages,” she said. “So Paul has a lot of recipes, he has a lot of formulations, and we’ll be looking to expand that line of our products,” says Amy Yanzer.

Republican Sen. Patrick Testin of Stevens Point has introduced legislation aimed at keeping the hemp industry open.

“We want to provide some framework and a pathway for this industry to continue to operate and grow here in the state, despite some of the setbacks that we’ve had at the federal level,” Testin said in an interview with Civic Media’s Melissa Kaye.

Testin’s proposal provides guidelines for growing and selling hemp, and would regulate how much THC can be included in consumable THC products.

“The legislation that we’ve put forth seeks to implement some of those basic guardrails and ensure that these products aren’t falling in the hands of kids and others,” Testin said.

If Congress doesn’t pass new legislation keeping the industry open, the hemp ban will take effect next September.

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