Wisconsin farmers who want to grow industrial hemp can now apply for a state license.

The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection began accepting applications Friday. This is the first season farmers can grow hemp in Wisconsin after the state Legislature lifted a ban on the crop last fall.

DATCP spokeswoman Donna Gilson said the department has seen a lot of interest in the program.

"We already had someone who completed their application (Friday) morning and there were several others in process. That first one was within two hours of the forms being available online," Gilson said.

The state is not limiting how many licenses are issued or the number of acres for growing in the state. Applicants must pass a background check and pay several administrative fees.

"The money that we collect from the fees will go toward administration of the program and it probably is not going to cover the complete cost of the program. Our employees will be just absorbing a lot of this into their workload," Gilson said.

Ken Anderson, president of seed company Legacy Hemp, said he thinks Wisconsin's regulations are more hands-off than many of the other 31 states with hemp programs.

"(DATCP is) going to allow us to do everything that we need to do, which commercially that's fantastic," Anderson said. "There’s not a lot of unnecessary red tape. They’re still having a strong control on it to make sure they stay within the legal bounds of the Farm Bill."

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In the 2014 Farm Bill, Congress allowed states to conduct research pilot programs for industrial hemp. Wisconsin growers and processors are required to submit a research summary to DATCP, which includes what records and reports they'll submit throughout the year.

But Gilson said growing hemp is not without risk.

"The other parts of the federal government, notably the (U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency), still does not make the distinction between industrial hemp and marijuana," Gilson said. "So we can say within Wisconsin, you can grow industrial hemp. If you bring in seed from other states that also have pilot programs, it's all done at your own risk."

Gilson said growing hemp could impact a farmer's ability to participate in federal farm programs or get an operating loan. She said growers should talk with an attorney and make sure they're aware of the risks.

And State Bureau of Plant Industry Director Brian Kuhn said farmers still face challenges in finding a market. He said they should have a licensed processor in position to accept their crop before planting one.

The deadline to apply for the upcoming growing season is May 1.

Editor's Note: This story was last updated at 5:12 p.m. Friday, March 2, 2018.