Michigan has closed its industrial hemp program, leaving farmers to operate directly under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and signaling potentially significant changes for hemp cultivators and processors in the state.
Under USDA rules, pre-harvest THC testing protocols are stricter, and all tests must be conducted at federally approved laboratories. Farmers also face heightened compliance requirements, with more detailed record-keeping and reporting obligations.
However, Blain Becktold, President of iHemp Michigan, said the change will be good for hemp growers in Michigan. That begins with costs. Michigan farmers can expect lower fees than the $1,350 they were paying for state hemp permits, which Becktold said was "certainly a hindrance to growing the industry in Michigan."
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) will end its hemp oversight at the close of 2024, with USDA protocols taking effect immediately in 2025. The decision is linked to the passage of Michigan House Bill 5977, which abolishes the state's industrial hemp fund and transfers oversight responsibilities for hemp cultivation and regulation to the USDA.
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