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What's up with the new US seed law this November 2026? (Update: Now December 2026)

growingisfun

growingisfun

Member
I've heard a lot of mixed information about the new seed law that was passed last year by the US government and supposedly goes into effect in November (update: now December 11, 2026) this year. I've heard some people say the law is going to make selling or buying cannabis seeds in the US illegal again. From what I understand, selling seeds was first legalized in 2019 due to some kind of hemp seed loophole, and that loophole is getting closed.

I've heard some breeders say they're just going to move operations overseas, others say they're switching to selling clones by mail (?!?) and still others say they'll just keep selling seeds until the government stops them. Then I've heard some growers say that it's unlikely the law will actually "go through" whatever that means. But who could stop it?

My big questions are: What is going to happen to buying seeds in the US in November? Does it matter if you live in a legal state? Should we just start stocking up now? I have some extra seeds I got as a bonus, but I don't really want to grow those particular strains. Maybe it's better to wait until it gets a bit closer to see what happens, and probably all the seeds will go on sale?

Basically, what's your seed plan?

(Pictured: I found a bonus seed in one of my nugs. How often does that happen, and what happens if I grow it?)

one-extra-seed.jpg
 
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growingisfun said:
I've heard a lot of mixed information about the new seed law that was passed last year by the US government and supposedly goes into effect in November this year (2026). I've heard some people say the law is going to make selling or buying cannabis seeds in the US illegal again. From what I understand, selling seeds was first legalized in 2019 due to some kind of hemp seed loophole, and that loophole is getting closed.

I've heard some breeders say they're just going to move operations overseas, others say they're switching to selling clones by mail (?!?) and still others say they'll just keep selling seeds until the government stops them. Then I've heard some growers say that it's unlikely the law will actually "go through" whatever that means. But who could stop it?

My big questions are: What is going to happen to buying seeds in the US in November? Does it matter if you live in a legal state? Should we just start stocking up now? I have some extra seeds I got as a bonus, but I don't really want to grow those particular strains. Maybe it's better to wait until it gets a bit closer to see what happens, and probably all the seeds will go on sale?

Basically, what's your seed plan?

(Pictured: I found a bonus seed in one of my nugs. How often does that happen, and what happens if I grow it?)

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I started overstocking last year when the law changed. I have a few more seeds to buy before November. I should have enough to keep me growing for a few years. Overstock, right?;)

The U.S. Congress has the power to change the law, if they will.

Grow that seed. Doesn't happen often in plants from feminized seeds but it will grow like it's mother.
 
golfnrl said:
I started overstocking last year when the law changed. I have a few more seeds to buy before November. I should have enough to keep me growing for a few years. Overstock, right?;)

The U.S. Congress has the power to change the law, if they will.

Grow that seed. Doesn't happen often in plants from feminized seeds but it will grow like it's mother.
Click to expand...

I pulled the seed out and it left a hole in the bud. Kind of like a hermit crab leaving its shell. Apparently that was the seed's childhood home.

If you don't mind me asking, is it okay to put a cannabis seed in a plastic baggy to store it? How long will it stay good?
 

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Seeds can stay viable for quite a while. A zip lock bag will work. Seeds should be stored in a cool dark and dry place. I prefer a glass container and a drawer in a closet for seed storage but a zip lock bag works just fine. That's a cool pic.
 
A good topic to cover. Several articles to read about the situation.
I see it as an attempt to destroy the genetic banks. For a seed to be legal it would have to come from a mother plant that contained less than 0.3% THC. So is there supposed to be a genetic traceability for the seeds? If none exists then how would someone prove the seed came from a mother plant greater than 0.3%? Is someone going to be growing plants to finish to support a prosecution based on the THC content of the resulting plant? I would not be surprised if big pharma was behind it, trying to control the genetic pool for their own greed. Who really knows what goes on in Washington. I don't think they can tie their own shoes never mind make a rational or intelligent decision about anything.

I just want to be left alone to live my life. I am so tired of one person trying to impose their will on others, the constant grab for money.
 
golfnrl said:
Seeds can stay viable for quite a while. A zip lock bag will work. Seeds should be stored in a cool dark and dry place. I prefer a glass container and a drawer in a closet for seed storage but a zip lock bag works just fine. That's a cool pic.
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Hello. and add a desiccant pack in with your bean supply to keep out excess moisture
 
@Ckbrew That is great news! I hadn't heard that. It seems like a very good sign. I feel like the seed vendors have to know more than the rest of us. I like how North Atlantic took the time to actually share an update.

I thought this was good information about how to contact your Senator ask ask them to vote on the hemp seed law and not bring up other cannabis stuff:
On your end, please consider contacting your local US Senators and Representatives today to let them know how this new statute will affect you and your community. Remember, we want to keep things professional, and we want to stay away from the cannabis debate and keep this solely about the seeds. This issue should not be controversial. It’s a matter of preserving access to non-intoxicating hemp seed genetics–a critical agricultural input.
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I've been keeping a close eye on the new US cannabis seed law and I wanted to share the latest updates and full seed situation (I could find) for anyone interested:
  1. Postponed to Dec 11, 2026 - Changes to the hemp seed part of the law has been postponed to Dec 11, 2026, which I take as a good sign because it shows that people are working on it. Learn more on Congress.gov (PDF of law).
  2. There's current bipartisan legislation to stop the seed provision (H.R. 9830) - There are now actual members of Congress working to address the problematic parts of the hemp seed law. Before it was just the industry bugging legislators, but this, along with the postponement, are a really great sign that SOMETHING is happening. The 2018 Farm bill regulates all hemp seeds based on their contained THC content. But this new law would place restrictions on the parent plant's THC. Which isn't just bad for home growers, but would also be terrible for hemp farmers and those producing hemp seeds, as it adds a huge layer of unnecessary and hard-to-comply with bureaucracy even in the most ideal situation. For home growers, it would leave many of us at the mercy of commercial cannabis grow operations to provide our weed and up to growers who actually care to maintain cannabis genetics. ASIGA is the seed-industry's biggest advocacy organization and they call H.R. 9830 "the seed fix we've been pushing for since day one" which to me says that's what we should be pushing for.
    1. Old 2018 Hemp Law system: What's in the seed? (Is the seed under 0.3% THC)
    2. New (bad) §781 system: What was in its mother plant? (did the parent plant stay under 0.3% THC)
    3. H.R. 9830 proposal: Goes back to looking at the seed itself, with a proposed 1% total-THC threshold.
  3. NASC made a great blog post about it. I just wanted to call them out since they're the first people I heard talking about this and educating the public.
  4. What you can do to save cannabis seeds - Contact your US Senators and Representatives today. Stay professional. Stay away from the cannabis debate, as this is an agricultural issue. Ask they please support the fix in H.R. 9830 before December 11, 2026. Example points (feel free to adapt or give to AI and adapt based on what is important to you): Hemp seeds are non-intoxicating. The law should judge hemp seeds on the THC contained in them, as it has since 2018. It would hurt farmers and other parts of the agricultural industry by adding impossible-to-follow regulations and bureaucracy. This is mainly a seed and agriculture issue, and has nothing to do with legalizing cannabis.
Bottom line:
  • Not solved, but there are real signs Congress might either revise or delay the rule again before Dec 11, 2026.
Does anyone have any other insider information? Or just thoughts? I personally plan on really stocking up on tons of cannabis seeds this Black Friday just in case.
 
Big pharma / big corporate trying to strangle the genetics. Reminds me of Monsanto and their "terminator" seeds and inserting DNA so the plant produces pesticides.

So I have a question, what did people do for beans before 2018? Was it all underground, grower produced, bag seed? Paint a picture of what it looked like getting beans back then, before my time...
 
I have been stocking up on more beans than I normally would have! I don't think it hurts to be a little prepared for a stumble. Plus, there are some good deals out there to save us some money now! Mathematically speaking I have enough beans for a couple years' worth of grows plus a few regular beans in hopes of getting a male for pollination purposes
 
Ckbrew said:
Big pharma / big corporate trying to strangle the genetics. Reminds me of Monsanto and their "terminator" seeds and inserting DNA so the plant produces pesticides.

So I have a question, what did people do for beans before 2018? Was it all underground, grower produced, bag seed? Paint a picture of what it looked like getting beans back then, before my time...
Click to expand...
What was before your time CK?
 
Ckbrew said:
Big pharma / big corporate trying to strangle the genetics. Reminds me of Monsanto and their "terminator" seeds and inserting DNA so the plant produces pesticides.

So I have a question, what did people do for beans before 2018? Was it all underground, grower produced, bag seed? Paint a picture of what it looked like getting beans back then, before my time...
Click to expand...
IDk for sure. I started growing in 2019. The first seeds I bought came from Europe at Royal Queen Seeds. Also, bought from ILGM before they became USA based. Both purchases came stealth mail. I buy Seeds from Mandala Seeds in Spain. The only way they ship to USA is via stealth packaging. My guess would be that seed suppliers in the USA would figure out a work around or go underground. Either way I think seeds will still be available from other countries.
 
I used to buy from Coastal Mary Seeads out of Vancouver. They used to ship stealth. Kinda fun to try and find the beans hidden in the package of re-lighting candles or little solar lights worth less than a buck. Plus they took credit cards which was hard to find back then.
 
I have been ordering my beans from Spain for many yrs and they were all stealth! I don't actually know how many beans I have but I'm old and can't count that far anymore! HAHA! Back in the 1900 hundreds I just grew what I could find from friends that grew their own or beans I found from my own grows
 
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