Ohio, Louisiana, New Jersey Are First States to Receive Federal Approval for Hemp Plans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved three U.S. states’ hemp regulation plans in late December, allowing Ohio, Louisiana and New Jersey to proceed with licensed hemp cultivation. None of those states allowed hemp cultivation under the 2014 Farm Bill provisions, making this the first time farmers in Ohio, Louisiana and New Jersey may pursue this newly legal crop.

See each state’s plan here:

Ohio 

Louisiana 

New Jersey 

“With the USDA approving our state industrial hemp plan, the pieces of the regulatory puzzle are falling into place,” Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said in a public statement. “We are now able to move forward and begin accepting industrial hemp license applications.”

According to the USDA’s interim final rule, states and Tribal organizations may submit their own hemp regulations to the USDA. Those regulations must be passed by the state legislature and must conform to federal law. For the states whose plans have been approved by the USDA, licensing will begin ahead of the 2020 planting season.

Hemp plans from 16 other U.S. states remain under review by the department.

On Dec. 27, the USDA also approved hemp plans submitted by three Tribal organizations: the Flandreau Santee Sioux, Santa Rosa Cahuilla, and La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indian Tribes. 

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