Is it legal to grow hemp? The answer to this question is complex, as it depends on many factors, including where you are located and whether you have a growing license. In this article, we aim to clarify the bureaucracy needed if you want to know how to grow hemp legally and how to get a hemp growing license, as well as explain if it’s legal where you live.
In the United States, since the 2018 Farm Bill passed, it is legal for farmers to cultivate hemp, the variety of the cannabis plant without the psychoactive compound. However, if you are not a licensed farmer and are only looking to grow it for personal use, you must pay attention to some rules and regulations that vary from state to state.
In most states where recreational cannabis has been legalized, you can grow hemp at home without any issues. In the other states where cannabis is only allowed for medical purposes, you will need a valid medical cannabis card to cultivate cannabis at home. This possibility is exciting for people looking for a more affordable way of accessing high-CBD flowers and concentrates, as some hemp strains can have high amounts of this substance.
However, if you live in a state or country where the use of cannabis is not legalized in any form, this may likely be an unlawful practice that can get you in trouble.
The laws for growing hemp are different depending on the state or country.
How To Get A Hemp Growing License?
If you are in the U.S. and are a farmer, you can apply to get a license to grow hemp. Farmers can grow hemp for commercial and research purposes, but they must apply for a permit and be in one of the 30 states that have passed some hemp legislation. Many farmers are interested in hemp crops as they require less water than other cultivars and can be more resistant to cold or drought weather and pests. They are also rotating hemp with different cultivars with high success rates since hemp is known to clean and restore the balance in the soil.
The process of getting a license to grow hemp is complex. The application fees can vary from state to state, requiring an extensive background check. To grow hemp, one must be ten years clean of any felony or misconduct related to drugs. The application to get a hemp growing license must include a legal description of the property with GPS coordinates, and you can expect physical inspections twice a year.
Also, depending on the state where you want to grow hemp, there are different licenses for growing, shipping, transforming, or researching. You should contact an attorney if you plan to apply for a hemp farming license.
How To Grow Hemp Legally?
The first step to follow if you want to start growing hemp is to understand the state of hemp in your area. For U.S. farmers, the National Conference of State Legislatures keeps an updated page with the current situation of all the states’ industrial hemp statutes. For global farmers, you can check our page for the current state of hemp legalization worldwide.
After you finally receive your license to grow hemp, you must renovate the license annually and pay your registration fees regularly. You must also conduct testing processes in the plants to ensure they have THC levels lower than 0.3%. It is also crucial to get insurance for your crop. Securing crop insurance for hemp in the past was more challenging, but this is changing.
Hemp production has grown exponentially in the United States recently, and this trend will not stop soon. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that in 2020, hemp will be grown on over 500,000 acres across the country. So far, 47 states have legislation to regulate hemp cultivation. If you plan to start farming hemp, now is the best moment to begin your research and find investors and experts to help you with the license paperwork.
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