Bent Paddle Brewing Co. has been safely manufacturing and selling hemp products for years, alongside so many other Minnesota breweries and cideries — working closely with local farmers and emulsion suppliers. When beer sales began to decline, hemp literally helped save our small businesses. Today, hemp-derived beverages make up nearly 40% of our total sales and we are not alone — so many other breweries craft their own hemp beverages and co-manufacture for other companies as well.
Our hemp beverages are naturally derived — never synthetic — featuring clearly labeled, low-dose Delta-9 THC. These products offer a safe, legal, and enjoyable alternative for people seeking a different kind of buzz, while supporting Minnesota supply chains. Minnesota has led the way in the low-dose hemp industry, establishing strong regulations and consumer protections that have set the national standard.
In October, hundreds of Minnesota businesses — including Bent Paddle — completed the long process of filing for official licensing through the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). We were all excited to take this next step, only to learn that a federal ban on hemp-derived products was added to the recent government spending bill and ultimately passed. This change will have massive consequences for breweries, cideries, farmers, and small businesses nationwide. We have one year to make a change before the ban takes full effect.
This industry has created hundreds of thousands of jobs and generates over $24 billion in revenue annually, including tax revenue. We urge lawmakers to remove the THC language and federal ban. Minnesota’s system and regulations work — let’s protect this thriving, legal, and safe industry and ensure it can continue to grow.
Steps you can take to help:
Send an e-mail to Congress to protect Minnesota’s THC beverages: https://www.mnsmart.org/take-action
Contact your local representatives: https://www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts/
Contact your Congress Member: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Share this on social media, repost articles and news stories, support your local breweries now more than ever, buy beer, buy THC while you can, scream into the void!
