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Hemp Program Overview

 

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) is conducting a Hemp Licensing Program as authorized by state and federal laws.  No person can grow, handle, broker, or process hemp in Kentucky without a license issued by the KDA.

 

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 the KDA Hemp Program.  For more information on applications, please visit the Applications for the Hemp Program page.

 

 

License Holder Lists

 

KDA has made available two lists of this year's initial license holders for reference only; 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 universities. These lists are located on this page in the right sidebar under the heading “Forms & Documents” (mobile devices scroll down). These lists do not reflect changes made throughout the year by Site Modifications or new Processor/Handler applications.

 

Please note, that licensees will appear on the list multiple times if they operate in multiple counties. That duplication is not an indication of multiple licenses of the same type. Of course, they will also appear on the list multiple times if they hold multiple license types: Grower and Processor/Handler.

 

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 new industry.

 

Kentucky farmers seeking an agricultural crop for inclusion in crop rotation plans or as a replacement crop may find that hemp is a viable option. Before you do anything, KDA asks growers to assess their financial risk before entering the industry. The hemp marketplace is still in its infancy. The supply chain is still developing, hemp varieties are unpredictable and many regulatory issues remain unresolved at the federal level. Market options for fiber and grain are limited and prices for floral material have drastically declined. 

 

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

 

 

Additional Links

Hemp Links
  • American Society of Agronomy
  • Hemp Industries Association
Hemp Links
  • Hemp History Week
  • Vote Hemp
  • US Hemp Roundtable
Hemp Links
  • University of Kentucky Hemp Research

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  • Program Pages

      • Hemp Licensing Program Overview
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    Forms & Documents

    KDA Video

    Kentucky Hemp Forum

    The Kentucky Department of Agriculture hosted a Kentucky Hemp Forum on April 8 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, followed by a tour of Kentucky growers and processors.

    Hemp Industry Showed Explosive Growth in 2018

    Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles announced that sales of Kentucky hemp products in 2018 were more than 3½ times higher than the previous year and that the amount that farmers were paid for their harvests more than doubled.

    Commissioner Quarles says he has asked Facebook to stop rejecting pages that promote hemp

    In a meeting of the state House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 6, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles told legislators about the rapid growth in the number of industrial hemp growers and acres, the effects of the 2018 farm bill, and a conflict with a social media giant.

    The Kentucky Hemp Comeback

    Kentucky farmers are exploring industrial hemp, a crop that connects Kentucky’s past to its future. Kentucky businesses are taking that raw material and turning it into products.

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