Hemp Industry Standards. Unite the Industry: A Call to Action
- Rhiannon Yard, MBA
- Dec 27, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 27, 2025
Why This Moment Matters
The hemp and cannabis industry is facing a defining regulatory moment.
Key decisions are being made right now through administrative rulemaking and agency enforcement, often faster than legislation and with far less public visibility. These decisions will shape whether this industry remains accessible, responsible, and viable, or becomes fragmented, unstable, and overregulated.
These outcomes are being shaped whether the industry participates or not.
This initiative exists to ensure the industry shows up informed, aligned, and credible.
What This Is
Unite the Industry: A Call to Action is a civic and industry responsibility initiative focused on:
Understanding how regulatory decisions are actually made
Reducing fragmentation during moments of regulatory pressure
Supporting responsible participation in rulemaking processes
Strengthening industry credibility through standards and education
This is not a political campaign. This is not an endorsement of any party or candidate.
It is about coordination, standards, and shared responsibility.
The Core Challenge
The industry does not lack innovation or passion. It lacks alignment when it matters most.
When regulators receive conflicting messages, public infighting, or unclear standards, they interpret it as instability and respond with increased oversight and restriction.
Fragmentation does not protect innovation.It invites regulation.
What Unity Actually Means
Unity does not require uniformity.
It means:
Alignment on baseline principles: consumer safety, transparency, accountability
Consistent public messaging during rulemaking and enforcement periods
Shared standards that distinguish responsible operators from bad actors
Coordination across organizations without sacrificing independence
Unity is not about control.It is about credibility.
How the Ecosystem Works
Healthy industries separate roles while coordinating outcomes:
GreenShield Alliance: Develops and stewards industry standards through transparent, collaborative processes.
CRAFT: Translates standards into education, workforce training, and operational guidance.
Trade Associations & Advocacy Organizations: Represent member interests and engage policymakers.
Each role is distinct. Each role is necessary. None succeed alone.
Why Texas Matters
Texas has become a national signal state.
Because of its market size, enforcement posture, and regulatory activity, outcomes in Texas influence national policy conversations, investor confidence, and federal oversight.
If a market of this size cannot demonstrate self-governance, the case for heavier intervention grows.If it can, restraint becomes defensible.
What happens here matters everywhere.
How to Engage (Your Call to Action)
Participation is not one-size-fits-all. Engagement can be scaled to your role, capacity, and experience.
1. Stay Informed
Track active rulemaking and regulatory timelines
Follow credible industry, standards, and consumer organizations
Share accurate information within your professional network
2. Participate When It Counts
Submit public comments during rulemaking periods
Attend hearings or stakeholder meetings when possible
Ensure your operational realities are part of the official record
3. Align With Standards
Use recognized standards to guide daily operations
Train teams consistently
Demonstrate transparency and accountability in practice
4. Engage Through Structure
Participate in standards development or review processes
Support organizations doing credible education, standards, or advocacy work
Contribute expertise where appropriate, without public infighting
Participation is not about volume or outrage.It is about clarity, consistency, and credibility.
The Bottom Line
Industries that participate together are harder to regulate poorly than industries that act alone.
There is no single hero in a functioning regulatory system.There is participation, or the absence of it.
This initiative exists to support informed participation, shared standards, and long-term stability for the hemp and cannabis industry.
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