Fold Belt Farms

As Federal Hemp Regulations Change, Fold Belt Farms Says Its Decision to Build Without THC Has Kept the Company Ahead of the Curve

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Washington hemp manufacturer says it recognized years ago that the industry's regulatory landscape could change, choosing to build its products accordingly

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YAKIMA, Wash. — September 15, 2026 — As the U.S. hemp industry prepares for significant changes to federal hemp regulations later this year, Fold Belt Farms LLC, a Washington-based manufacturer of handcrafted hemp products, says a decision it made years ago has allowed the company to approach the changing regulatory environment with confidence.

 

New federal legislation scheduled to take effect December 11, 2026, will substantially change the federal definition of hemp and the requirements applicable to certain hemp-derived products. The changes have created significant uncertainty throughout the hemp industry, with a recent Whitney Economics report finding that 68.1% of surveyed hemp businesses said they expected to close if the restrictions take effect as written.

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For Fold Belt Farms, however, the changing regulatory environment is not entirely unexpected.

 

When the company began developing its products, Fold Belt Farms recognized that the federal hemp framework at the time created opportunities for manufacturers to produce hemp products containing THC to intoxicating levels while remaining within the then-existing legal framework.

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The company deliberately chose not to build its business around that opportunity.

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“We understood the law, and we understood the loophole that existed at the time,” said Thomas Novobielski, owner of Fold Belt Farms LLC. “But we also understood that laws can change. We didn't want to build a business around a loophole and then ask our customers or our company to deal with the consequences if that loophole eventually disappeared. We also quickly realized the demand from our customers for NON THC, CBD products, and we respect that.”

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Instead, Fold Belt Farms chose to develop its products according to a higher internal standard centered on quality ingredients, careful manufacturing, third-party laboratory testing and products in which THC is not detected through laboratory analysis.

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Building for the long term

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For Novobielski, the decision was not based solely on anticipating future legislation.

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It was also about the company's responsibility to its customers.

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“There was a difference between what the law permitted at the time and what kind of products we wanted to put our name behind,” Novobielski said. “We care about our customers, we respect the law, and believe we have a responsibility as not only a manufacturer, but a long time practitioner and someone who understands the plant.”

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That philosophy has remained central to Fold Belt Farms throughout the company's five years of developing and manufacturing hemp products.

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The company focuses on handcrafted, high-strength formulations made with quality ingredients and subject to third-party laboratory testing.

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Recent laboratory testing of a Fold Belt Farms tincture provides an example of that approach. The certificate of analysis reports “ND” or Not Detected, for total THC, as well as Δ8-THC, Δ9-THC, THCA and THCV. The same analysis identifies measurable levels of several other cannabinoids, including CBD, CBN, CBG, CBC and CBDV.

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The company's laboratory documentation is available to demonstrate its testing results and product composition.

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“Before I came up with FBF, the first business name I came up with was “Hemp-Proof” and the slogan, “The proof is in the product.”, Novobielski said. “We might have changed the name, but the philosophy remains the same. We have always used independent laboratory testing that allows our customers to see what is and isn't detected in our products. We think consumers deserve that level of transparency.”

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A different path through a changing industry

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Fold Belt Farms recognizes that the upcoming federal changes could have significant consequences for other hemp businesses, their employees and their customers.

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The company says it does not view those potential consequences as something to celebrate.

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“We're not celebrating the possibility of other businesses being forced to close,” Novobielski said. “There are good people and legitimate businesses who operate within the allowed THC thresholds throughout the industry. We simply made different decisions when we had the opportunity to choose what kind of company we wanted to build.”

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According to Fold Belt Farms, the company was not attempting to predict exactly what future legislation would look like. Rather, it recognized that the rapidly evolving hemp industry would likely continue to face regulatory changes.

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That led the company to prioritize a business model it believed could withstand those changes.

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“We weren't trying to predict exactly what Congress would do,” Novobielski said. “We were trying to build a company that would still make sense if the rules changed.”

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Five years later, Fold Belt Farms says that decision has become increasingly relevant as lawmakers and regulators reshape the federal hemp landscape.

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Quality before shortcuts

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Fold Belt Farms says its objective has never been simply to manufacture products that meet the minimum requirements of a particular regulatory environment.

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The company's focus has been on producing high-strength hemp products with quality ingredients, maintaining third-party laboratory testing and giving customers confidence in the products carrying the Fold Belt Farms name.

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“We're a small company, and we care about what goes into the products that carry the FBF name,” Novobielski said. “I started making these products for myself, so I built them with the intention of working, to create what I think is the best of its kind.”

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The company intends to continue operating according to those principles as the hemp industry enters another period of regulatory uncertainty.

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For Fold Belt Farms, the company's position today is not the result of a last-minute response to changing legislation. It is the continuation of a decision made when the company first began. To build a hemp business around quality, transparency, responsible manufacturing and long-term customer trust.

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“We've always wanted people to be able to trust what they're buying from us,” Novobielski said. “That’s why we put the QR code on the label so customers can quickly check the COA, and why we try to keep our prices low, I’d rather do business in volume, helping as many people as I can, than just a handful who can afford it.”