USDA Approves Seven State, Tribal Hemp Production Plans

Date
January 27, 2020

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the approval of plans for the production of hemp under the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program for the states of Delaware, Nebraska and Texas and for the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Fort Belknap Indian Community, the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, and the Yurok Tribe.

USDA continues to receive and review hemp production plans from states and Indian tribes on an ongoing basis. Plans previously approved include those for the states of Louisiana, New Jersey, and Ohio, and the Flandreau Santee Sioux, Santa Rosa Cahuilla, and La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indian Tribes. To check the status of a plan or to review approved plans, visit: Status of State and Tribal Hemp Production Plans.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) directed USDA to develop a regulatory oversight program for hemp and include provisions for USDA to approve hemp production plans submitted by states and Indian tribes. Accordingly, on October 31, 2019, USDA issued an interim final rule establishing the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program and the provisions for USDA to approve submitted plans. State and tribal plans provide details on practices and procedures that enable hemp producers in their jurisdictions to operate according to their individual plans and in compliance with federal laws.

To produce hemp, growers must be licensed or authorized under a state, tribe, or USDA production program. The program a grower is licensed under depends on the location of the hemp growing facility. If a state or tribe has an approved plan or is in the process of developing a plan, growers must apply and be licensed or authorized under its hemp program. If a state or tribe does not have a plan and does not intend to have a plan, growers can apply for a license from USDA as long as production of hemp is allowed in the state or tribe.

For additional information about the program and the provisions of the interim final rule, visit the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program web page.

For information or questions related to a specific plan, please contact the applicable state or tribe.

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