Ending the hemp industry

By Julia Shumway | Editor

“The law essentially ends the hemp industry.” — Seth Crawford, the co-owner of Oregon CBD Seeds, an Independence-based company that supplies 75% of the hemp seed grown in the country. A new federal law narrowing the definition of hemp bans the sale of any “hemp-derived cannabinoid product” with more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, or most hemp-derived products such as edibles, tinctures and beverages.

Also in today's edition:

Feds move forward with data centers on federal land in Oregon, other states
Trump isn’t finding noncitizen voters
Deadlines to reverify income for food assistance

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New federal law puts an end to the hemp industry, Oregon businesses say

By Mia Maldonado

Muscle rubs, aromatherapy soaps and body washes make up the majority of what’s left in Oregon CBD Company, an Albany store that’s set to close at the end of September in response to an impending federal law prohibiting the sale of most hemp-derived products. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

ALBANY — Pet tinctures and topicals are the most popular products sold at Oregon CBD Company, a small business located at the junction of the Willamette Valley town’s busiest roads. Pet owners use them to treat their pets’ anxiety or pain — and in some cases they use similar products to treat their own.

Data centers proposed on federal land in eastern Oregon, western states

By Alex Baumhardt

An explosion of data center facilities, including the one pictured here in northeast Oregon on May 18, 2026, have been built along the Columbia River Gorge during the last few years. (Photo by Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

A new data center campus could soon be coming to federal land near Hermiston in eastern Oregon.

Got a notice in the mail for SNAP benefits? Respond by Monday, Oregon officials say.

By Shaanth Nanguneri

Recipients who received a letter but missed yesterday’s deadline still should contact the Oregon Department of Human Services in case a worker can help, the agency said.