Industrial Hemp Program

Missouri’s Industrial Hemp Law

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is working to establish regulations and procedures in advance of the 2020 industrial hemp growing season. As part of the rulemaking process, the Department is asking for public comment on the proposed industrial hemp rules from Nov. 1 – Dec. 1, 2019. To view and comment on the proposed rules, click here.

Missouri’s final rules will incorporate citizen feedback from the rulemaking process, as well as federal regulatory guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture. The Department will operate under emergency regulations that will allow applications to be accepted and regulations and permits to be issued in time for the 2020 growing season, pending USDA’s approval of Missouri’s State Plan.

The Department will publish applications for Producer Registrations and Agricultural Hemp Propagule and Seed Permits on this webpage on December 2. The Department does not intend to issue registrations or permits until USDA approves Missouri’s State Plan. Industrial hemp may not be grown in Missouri and individuals may not possess seeds or propagules without an applicable Producer Registration and/or Agricultural Hemp Propagule and Seed Permit.

2018 Farm Bill

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) was signed into law on December 20, 2018. The 2018 Farm Bill authorized state departments of agriculture to create commercial industrial hemp programs. States who wish to have primary regulatory authority over industrial hemp must submit a State Plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for approval. State Plans will include procedures and information regarding: land to be used for planting, testing, effective disposal of plants and products, compliance with law enforcement, annual inspections, submission of information to USDA, and other procedures and information.

The USDA is currently developing regulations which will govern State Plans and anticipates having federal regulations in effect by the fall of 2019 to accommodate the 2020 planting season. Following USDA’s development and release of regulations, the Missouri Department of Agriculture will submit a State Plan to USDA. Additional information can be found at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/farmbill-hemp.

Proposed Industrial Hemp Timeline

Dates are subject to change pending USDA’s publication of federal industrial hemp regulations and USDA’s approval of Missouri’s State Plan.

Outreach Meetings

Meetings listed are events at which a Missouri Department of Agriculture representative will be presenting regulatory information. These events may not be hosted by MDA, and may require pre-registration, member status, or fees.

Additional dates and locations are being scheduled. If you are hosting an event and would like an MDA hemp program representative to present, please contact us at hempprogram@mda.mo.gov.