ALABAMA:  The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) will accept hemp applications from eligible growers and processors/handlers, using a new online application system starting, October 13, 2020. Applications will be available at agi.alabama.gov/hempapp at 9:00 am, Tuesday, October 13, 2020.  The final day to apply for a hemp license is November 30, 2020 by 5:00 pm (CST).

In 2016, the Alabama Legislature passed the Alabama Industrial Hemp Research Program Act, Section 2-8-380 Code of Alabama 1975, tasking ADAI with the development of a licensing and inspection program for the production of industrial hemp. The program launched in 2019, after The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (i.e. Farm Bill) declassified hemp as a schedule I drug and deemed hemp as an agriculture commodity. This legislation defines hemp as all parts of the plant containing less than 0.3% THC, including derivatives, extracts, and cannabinoids.

“As the hemp industry continues to grow in Alabama, critical research data is being collected and evaluated,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate.  “This is the department’s third year to administer the hemp program. It has always been our goal to manage the program in a fair and timely manner to benefit Alabama farmers and hemp producers and develop industrial hemp as an alternative crop.”

The 2021 university/college affiliation license application information will be forthcoming before the first week in November 2020.

For more information and updates, please visit agi.alabama.gov/hempapp. ADAI will receive Industrial Hemp applications until 5:00 pm (CST) on November 30, 2020.