All Systems Go for Hemp Production in Florida
April 23, 2020 The USDA has formally approved Florida’s state hemp program, clearing the way for local growers to begin cultivating the alternative crop.
“After months of incorporating feedback from the public, growers, and industry stakeholders, we are thrilled that Florida’s hemp industry officially begins now,” says Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who will oversee Florida’s state hemp program through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). “I thank the USDA for their swift review and approval of our state hemp program. By working closely with our farmers, processors, retailers, and consumers, Florida’s state hemp program will become a model for the nation, will set a gold standard for this emerging industry, and will create billions in economic opportunity for Florida. As our economy deals with the impacts of COVID-19, this approval will give our agriculture industry a new alternative crop for many years to come.”
With the state hemp program’s rules now filed for adoption and approved by USDA, FDACS will begin accepting applications to grow industrial hemp on April 27 — the first day authorized under the state filing timeframe — online at FDACS.gov/Cannabis. More information about growing hemp in Florida can be found at https://www.fdacs.gov/Cannabis-Hemp/Hemp-CBD-in-Florida.
Commissioner Fried has been a champion of Florida’s emerging hemp industry, appointing the state’s first-ever Cannabis Director last year, hosting multiple workshops and public hearings across Florida on hemp state rulemaking, as well as working ahead of USDA to finalize rule development.
