Kentucky Hemp Licensing Program

Welcome to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) Hemp Licensing Program website. The 2020 program year is the final year of the research pilot program.

THE 2020 HEMP LICENSE APPLICATIONS are available here.

Among the major application changes for 2020:

* KDA will accept grower applications from November 15, 2019, to March 15, 2020. * KDA is accepting processor/handler applications beginning on November 15, 2019. * The KDA is hosting an online application on this webpage. * The new online application includes a mapping function that will automatically upload the GPS coordinates.

Anyone interested in potentially growing, processing, or handling hemp in Kentucky may view the 2020 Grower Orientation or Processor/Handler Orientation presentations to get a full overview of the program. These orientations are also a component of the application itself and a requirement for licensing.

Full details for the Hemp Licensing Program, including applications and regulations, can be found on this website. The information is organized under 6 different “Program Pages” as listed below. You may also access the program pages in the right sidebar (mobile users scroll down) under the heading “Program Pages”.

*Hemp Licensing Program Overview. Provides a general overview of the Kentucky hemp program, including a list of current License Holders, Seed & Transplant Providers List, Processors & Handlers, and History and Scope of the Program.

* Hemp and the Law. Here you will find all the hemp related Laws and Regulations, including Kentucky Administrative Regulations for growers, processors, handlers, and universities.

* Applications for the Hemp Program. Interested in joining the program? Visit this page for the Grower and Processor/Handler License Applications, as well as University Applications. The online application is now active.

* License Holders - Forms and Deadlines. License Holders will now be submitting all reports and requests through their online portal. This page continues to provide constant access to program forms for those who submitted a paper application, and a convenient list of deadlines. Also found on this page are the detailed presentations used during initial training of new license holders, guidelines for pesticide use and details of the THC sampling and testing procedures.

* Restrictions on Sale or Transfer. Planning to move hemp? This is your one-stop page for the hemp transfer rules governing the Kentucky Hemp Program.

* Picture Gallery. COMING SOON. Check out the three harvestable components of hemp and the various methods of crop production, harvest, and processing/handling being researched in the Commonwealth.

Persons interested in Kentucky's Hemp Licensing Program and not already on the e-mail notification list may send an e-mail to Hemp@ky.gov with your name and contact information to receive periodic updates. Notifications will include announcements for hemp field days, conferences, application releases, etc.

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