Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program Overview

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) is conducting an Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program as authorized by KRS 260.850-260.869, and 7 U.S.C.§ 5940 (also known as Section 7606 of the 2014 Farm Bill).  No person can grow, handle, broker, or process industrial hemp in Kentucky without a license issued by the KDA. For more information on applications, please visit the Applications for the Hemp Program page.

Industrial Hemp requires a KDA License to Grow, Handle, Process, or Market

Individuals and businesses who would like to be considered for a license to grow, handle, process, or market hemp must submit the appropriate license application to KDA Hemp Program, 111 Corporate Drive, Frankfort, KY 40601 prior to the established deadlines.  For more information on applications, please visit the Applications for the Hemp Program page.

License Holder Lists

KDA has made available two complete lists of 2019 license holders; the lists have been organized differently for your convenience. One list is sorted by county name and the other is a statewide list in alphabetical order. Both lists include growers, processors/handlers, and university affiliates. Theses lists are located on this page in the right sidebar under the heading “Forms & Documents” (mobile devices scroll down).

Please note, in the document the name listed in the “License Holder” column is the name in which the license is issued, either by individual or by company. The listed county is the primary Kentucky county of operation.

Kentucky licensed processors, handlers, and brokers are given the option to make their contact information available on our Processor/Handler List. Some License Holders have also voluntarily provided their contact information for the purpose of selling hemp seeds and transplants to other license holders on the KDA Seed and Transplant Providers List.  Current lists are located on this page in the right sidebar under the heading “Forms & Documents” (mobile devices scroll down).

Goals and Growth of the Research Program

“My strategic objective,” states Commissioner Ryan Quarles “is to position the Commonwealth’s growers and processors to ultimately prevail as national leaders in industrial hemp production.”

There is intense interest and enthusiasm across the Commonwealth for this historic crop. The Department seeks to build a body of knowledge on hemp agronomics that will lay a solid foundation for a thriving industry should hemp be removed from the federal government’s list of controlled substances.

Kentucky farmers seeking an agricultural crop for inclusion in crop rotation plans or as a replacement crop may find that industrial hemp is a viable option. Market prices for fiber and grain are quickly stabilizing, but prices for floral material have a wide variation. 

To date, more than 110 processors/handlers have obtained licenses in the KDA pilot program.  Processors have been working hard since 2014 to develop infrastructure with sufficient capacity to process hemp grown by farmers all across the region. The 2018 Processor Production Reports revealed that licensed hemp processors paid Kentucky growers $17.75 million last year and the creation of 281 new full-time jobs. The licensed processors also reported capital investments of $23.4 million and gross product sales of $57.75 million for 2018.

Kentucky’s program has experienced tremendous growth in just a few short years.  In the first year of the program, farmers planted 33 acres and succeeded with a modest harvest. In 2015, over 900 acres were planted and about 500 were successfully harvested.  In 2016 we had reports of over 2,300 acres planted and about 2,000 acres harvested. The 2017 growing season saw another increase in hemp acreage in Kentucky with more than 3,200 acres planted. In 2018, licensed growers planted 6,700 acres and harvested about 6,000 acres.

If you have visited all of KDA’s hemp pages and still have questions about out program, please send inquiries to Hemp@ky.gov.