Michigan Farmers Will Operate Under USDA As State Shuts Down Industrial Hemp Program
Michigan farmers can expect lower fees than the $1,350 they were paying
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.”
“Now that more uses of industrial hemp products in the building and animal feed sectors are starting to emerge, this move (to USDA) may encourage farmers and processors to look again at the possibilities that industrial hemp could provide to their operations,” Becktold said.
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