New Oregon hemp rules take effect next week. As of Monday, July 1, 2024, all hemp retailers or wholesalers who store, transfer or sell industrial hemp or hemp items for resale to another person must have a hemp vendor license from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). The vendor license fee is $100 annually and is valid from July 1 to June 30. You can find the application here.
If you have anything to do with the Oregon hemp trade, whether locally or from out-of-state, please read this blog post carefully. The vendor license requirement is very broad and is certain to catch many people off guard.
Where did these new hemp rules come from?
The new rules arise from House Bill 4121, which Governor Tina Kotek signed into law on March 20, 2024. That law covered both marijuana and hemp considerations. I annotated HB 4121 in my legislative preview here and my session wrap-up here. I would encourage anyone interested in the background of this new hemp vendor licensure program to read those posts.
Following the session, ODA undertook a quick rulemaking round, and adopted OAR 603-048-0175 on June 5. It's a short rules section, and worth a read as well. You can also find an FAQ style summary from ODA here.
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