State rules and regulations for the Louisiana Industrial Hemp Program are now finalized, Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain announced today.
The department also has begun issuing licenses for the production, processing and transportation of industrial hemp. There are different types of industrial hemp licenses for growers, processors, seed producers and contract carriers.
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is the state’s designated regulatory authority for the production, processing and transportation of industrial hemp. Any person growing, handling, transporting or processing industrial hemp or hemp seed is required to possess a current license issued by the LDAF. All applicants are required to submit a completed application, background check and license fees.
Louisiana’s legalization of hemp growing follows that of the farm bill passed through the federal government in 2018. The ability to grow hemp in-state also comes at a time when Cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive compound made from hemp, is gaining popularity. Records from the Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control board show nearly 1,500 businesses have received the paperwork required to sell products containing CBD. In addition to CBD, hemp is used in the production of industrial products, including textiles. The crop offers a reprieve for farmers suffering from fluctuating soybean prices.
