Wisconsin Ag Connection - DATCP Taking Sign-Ups for Industrial Hemp Licenses

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DATCP Taking Sign-Ups for Industrial Hemp Licenses
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 04/02/2018

Now that industrial hemp farming has been legalized in the state, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture is ready to start accepting applications from farmers that plan to get licensed to grow the specialty crop. New regulations require growers and processors of hemp to pass a background check to show that the licensee has no state or federal drug convictions. They also need to pay a one-time licensing fee of $150 to $1,000, depending on how many acres they intend to plant.

"We know that many Wisconsin farmers see a great opportunity here," said Brian Kuhn, director of the DATCP's Bureau of Plant Industry. "As we've been telling them all along, they need to remember that this is a research pilot program. Growers really need to know before planting that they have a licensed processor in position to accept their crop."

Both growers and process will have to register with DATCP annually to remain in the state's new pilot program.

DATCP inspectors will sample plants from each field and variety grown, and take them to the department's laboratory for analysis. The plants can contain no more than 0.3 percent THC. Growers will have reporting and recordkeeping requirements, and will be required to enter into a research agreement with DATCP.

The deadline to apply for a hemp production license for the 2018 growing season is May 1.

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