Mission Farms Elevate Blood Orange
By Laura Silverman. This article is sponsored by Mission Farms CBD.
In case you haven’t been tracking greater non-alc with the level of intense nerddom that I have, one of the fastest growing categories within the industry is hemp / cannabis-based beverages. And there’s a forthcoming federal hemp ban on December 11 that could change everything.
And I mean everything.
Mission Farms CBD out of Bend, OR has been serving its customers for the past eight years, ensuring the highest quality hemp-derived products with supporting third party testing to back up any claims. As their give-back to the community, they donate CBD to Central Oregon Veterans Outreach so that veterans can take advantage of the mind and body benefits of CBD. Mission Farms is just one example out of hundreds if not thousands of American companies feeling the heat.
“The new federal law affects more than our THC products. Nearly everything we make, including our full-spectrum CBD, exceeds the new limit, so unless the law changes, December 6 will be our last day of sales. We’re working alongside the advocates urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Lawful Hemp Protection Act, and we’re going to keep looking for a way forward.”
—Ben Joyce, Co-Founder & CEO, Mission Farms CBD
But how did we get here?
Let’s peel the curtain back on time and lay out the facts (with some of my commentary, of course):
Before the 2018 Farm Bill, the federal Controlled Substances Act classified hemp as marijuana. Obviously, states have their own legislation, and every state deems the legality of cannabis individually. (Note: check out Green Scenes by Lauren Yoshiko for some pretty unique spots across the country to legally partake in cannabis.)
With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, “hemp and hemp-derived products at or below the 0.3% delta-9 THC threshold were no longer regulated as Schedule I controlled substances.” (Congress.gov) This meant that brands could include Delta-9 derived THC in their products (gummies, beverages, etc.) so long as they didn’t surpass that 0.3% threshold. We started seeing an astronomical rise of THC beverages in the years after 2018.
Where things get spicy: in November 2025, the definition of hemp was amended by P.L. 119-37 to change “the limit to a total THC concentration of less than 0.3% on a dry weight basis rather than only delta-9 THC.” This basically means that products will either pass or fail the threshold based on TOTAL weight rather than just the weight of the THC alone. Hemp beverages would have to contain 0.4mg or less of THC to be considered legal.
The implications of the ban are far-reaching and devastating. It’s not just your favorite beverages, whether Mission Farms CBD’s Elevate powders or brands like BREZ, Cycling Frog, and Willie’s Remedy that are under the gun. It’s the real fate of hundreds of businesses and thousands of people facing unemployment. The 2018 Farm Bill didn’t just legalize certain parts of the cannabis plant; it provided a massive boost to the U.S. economy by creating thousands of new jobs and generating billions of dollars. A recent PBS headline sums it up neatly: “A $28 billion hemp THC industry is fighting to save itself from a looming federal ban.”
Mission Farms CBD — Elevate Fresh Lemon
Here’s what Mission Farms CBD is doing to combat this:
Pushing for a fix. They’re working with advocates and lobbyists to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Lawful Hemp Protection Act, which would “replace the ban with sensible regulation.”
Exploring new formulas. This is a tough one because the reason Mission Farms CBD’s products — whether THC or CBD — are so effective is because of their dosages. The impending ban, if passed, will force the company (and so many others) to reformulate products to meet new limits.
Seeking legal guidance. With December 6 being the last day to legally buy/sell products, Mission Farms CBD and other companies will be working with their own legal advisors to find ways to continue, lawfully, serving their customer bases.
As many of you know, I’ve been on my own journey exploring the potential benefits of the cannabis plant, with CBD and THC (in low doses) products over the past couple of years. While I will always remain sober from alcohol, I’ve been curious about cannabis / hemp. From a harm reduction point of view, it’s far less dangerous, on the whole, than alcohol. The latter, which I actively aim to not vilify in my writing and platforms but am well aware of its short and long-term dangers, will continue to be bought and sold, nothing upsetting the status quo. And what’s upsetting is that cannabis is taking the heat.
So what can you do to help?
Stock up on your favorite brands while you still can (before December 6). Support small businesses. Shop brands like Mission Farms CBD. If you decide to try Elevate, you must get Blood Orange (you might as well try a variety pack).
Continue to get educated. Read laws. Follow accounts like @generationna and @calisobermarket to hear from real people whose businesses are on the line.
Lastly, make your voice heard. Contact your Congressional representatives (House and Senate). Ask them to support the Lawful Hemp Protection Act.