The following information about the USDA Hemp Production Program and USDA NIFA funded hemp research and extension is being provided since the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law and implementation of 2018 Farm Bill provisions by USDA.
The term “hemp” means the plant species Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the primary intoxicating component of cannabis. Cannabis with a THC level exceeding 0.3 percent is considered marijuana, which remains classified as a schedule I controlled substance regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the CSA.
USDA Hemp Production Program
With the 2018 Farm Bill signed into law, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has been designated as the lead USDA agency to administer the new USDA Hemp Production Program. AMS issued an interim final rule (link is external) on October 31, 2019, to implement the 2018 Farm Bill provisions. USDA cannot help with interpretation and implementation of the laws related to your state permitting and interstate commerce. For those questions, please seek advice from your legal counsel or state.
- The AMS has posted information on their website regarding the 2018 Farm Bill hemp program at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/hemp.
- The link to AMS Questions/Answers is found at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/hemp/questions-and-answers .
If you have additional needs regarding the Hemp Production Program, please send questions or requests for information to: farmbill.hemp@usda.gov.
Hemp Research and Extension
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences. We invest in and support initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture. Since the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, and particularly Section 7606 that legitimized industrial hemp research, hemp-related research and associated outreach has become a small but growing part of our extramural funding portfolio. Section 7606 of the 2014 Farm Bill remains in effect and should be followed along with any changes to state laws and regulations resulting from updated state, territorial, or tribal hemp production plans.
Researchers should seek their own legal counsel and guidance from their state regulatory agency regarding what is allowable for conducting research in their respective state. The USDA cannot provide advice regarding state specific policies.