Information for Producers

To produce hemp, you first need to be licensed or authorized under a state hemp program, a tribal hemp program, or the USDA hemp program.  The program you are licensed under depends on the location of your hemp growing facility. 

The first step is to reach out to your local state department of agriculture or tribal government to see if they have a production plan that has been submitted to or approved by USDA. To find the contact information for your State or tribe, please review the Grower Contacts for Hemp Information. USDA licensed producers should contact AMS directly at farmbill.hemp@usda.gov.

Status of Submitted Plans - This table summarizes the status of state and tribal hemp production plans that are pending approval or have been approved.

If your state or tribe has an approved plan or is in the process of developing a plan, you must apply to and be licensed or authorized under its hemp program. 

If your state or tribe does not have a pending or approved hemp production plan, you may apply for a USDA hemp production license. To obtain a license to produce hemp under the USDA production program, create an account using the Hemp eManagement Platform (HeMP) and use HeMP to submit a USDA Hemp Application. USDA hemp production applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

You cannot receive a hemp production license from a state, tribe, or USDA, if you have been convicted of a felony related to a controlled substance in the last 10 years.

If you have questions about whether you are able to apply for a USDA hemp program license, please email us at farmbill.hemp@usda.gov. You may also contact us at this email to request a mailed or  PDF version of the USDA license application.

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