Missouri is the latest state to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its state hemp plan.
The plan sets the regulatory framework through the 2021 growing season and provides the department with primary oversight of industrial hemp production in the state, the Missouri Department of Agriculture said in a news release.
“This approval is a testament to the hard work our team has put in to open up a new regulatory framework for growers looking to diversify their operations,” said Missouri Department of Agriculture Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn. “We’ve worked hard to incorporate feedback from growers, industry stakeholders and federal partners over the last several months. We hope that this is the certainty that many in the emerging industry have been looking for.”
The state is currently operating under its pilot program, but it says the new approved plan makes no changes to existing regulations.
Producer fees total $750 per year regardless of acreage.
This is the first year that Missouri producers have been able to legally grow industrial hemp within the state. The state has 197 registered producers and 75 Agricultural Hemp Propagule and Seed Permit holders, the department of agriculture said in the news release. In total, Missouri growers registered 3,696 acres of hemp for this year.
The state’s hemp plan allows for producers to hire third-party certified samplers to collect compliance samples prior to harvest. In 2020, the state has trained and certified 63 industrial hemp samplers.
