Connecticut Hemp Operators Sue State Over Farm Bill Dispute

Several Connecticut hemp farmers and a processor have filed a federal lawsuit challenging state laws that sharply restrict hemp-derived THC products, arguing that the measures violate protections established under the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill.

The suit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, names Governor Ned Lamont, Attorney General William Tong, and Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli as defendants. At its core, the case questions whether state lawmakers went too far in setting new limits that effectively reclassified many hemp products as marijuana.

From Federal Green Light to State Restrictions

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp is defined as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. That federal definition legalized hemp production nationwide and allowed states to develop their own programs under USDA oversight. Connecticut’s hemp program received federal approval in December 2021.

But starting in 2023, state legislators adopted new rules that lowered permissible THC levels in hemp-derived products far below federal thresholds. The revised laws, which took effect on October 1 of that year, capped hemp product potency at:

• 1 milligram of THC per serving

• 0.5 milligrams of THC per package

These limits effectively pushed many hemp-derived items—particularly those containing popular cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC—into the state’s regulated cannabis market, restricting their sale to licensed marijuana dispensaries.

Farmers Say Laws Made Licenses Worthless

The plaintiffs argue that the new restrictions contradict the federally approved definition of hemp and have devastated local operators. According to the complaint, the number of licensed hemp operations in Connecticut has fallen by nearly 80% since the laws took effect.

“There has been real and direct harm to these farmers, and we’re just trying to help them restore the rights that these state-issued hemp licenses gave them,” plaintiffs’ attorney Genevieve Park Taylor told the Hartford Business Journal.

The farmers named in the suit Michael Goodenough, Darren Cugno, Norman Plude, and Wells Farming along with hemp processor Ricardo Sotil, claim that their livelihoods have been upended. Sotil says he invested more than $1 million in equipment before the rule changes, while Plude has cut his hemp cultivation from nine acres down to just 400 square feet.

Legal Relief Sought

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaratory judgment requiring Connecticut to follow federal hemp definitions and are asking for injunctive relief to prevent the state from interfering with hemp operations that comply with federal standards.

They argue that by lowering THC limits beyond what the Farm Bill allows, Connecticut effectively nullified their licenses and excluded them from a market Congress explicitly legalized.

Echoes of Earlier Retailer Lawsuits

This is not the first time the state has faced legal pushback over its hemp rules. Several Connecticut retailers filed a similar lawsuit in December 2024, also alleging that the state’s THC limits conflict with federal law. That case underscored tensions between the state’s regulated cannabis industry and hemp retailers who relied on hemp-derived products to meet consumer demand.

A Clash of State and Federal Policy

The dispute in Connecticut reflects a larger national conflict over how states interpret and regulate hemp-derived cannabinoids. While the Farm Bill legalized hemp broadly, it left states with significant leeway in shaping their own programs. Some states, like Texas and New York, have also passed laws restricting hemp-derived THC products, citing safety concerns and the need to protect state-licensed cannabis markets.

But hemp operators insist that states are overreaching by imposing limits inconsistent with federal definitions, effectively cutting off avenues for small businesses while creating confusion in the marketplace.

The outcome of the Connecticut lawsuit could set an important precedent, clarifying how far states can go in restricting hemp products without running afoul of federal law. For now, however, farmers and processors in the state say their industry is hanging by a thread.