The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has provided additional time for those wanting to grow and process hemp in the state this year to apply for a license.
In Minnesota, hemp licences expire on December 31 of the year issued. Each year, licensees must reapply to be included in the program. The reason provided by the MDA for the extension this year is to accommodate all potential applicants who are awaiting legislative action on cannabis.
A grower license starts at $400 and the minimum cost of a processor license is $500. For 2023, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing fees per grower sample will cost $100.
There’s an online application form available until April 30, and after that time, interested parties will need to complete and submit a paper application. Further details are available here.
According to the MDA, 293 parties held licenses to grow or process hemp last year, and more than 375 acres and 122,040 indoor square feet were planted in the state. However, the USDA’s recently released National Hemp Report indicates very different figures (as do other MDA stats). It states 710 acres were planted, a huge drop on 2021’s 2,650 acres. And even 2021 wasn’t Minnesota’s biggest year for outdoor acreage planted – that occurred in 2019 (7,353 acres). Also that year, there was 403,304 indoor square footage planted – more than three times as much as in 2022.
Source: hempgazette.com
Photo Credit: GettyImages-jessicahyde
Categories: Minnesota, Crops