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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama hemp growers, processors/handlers and universities may apply for an industrial hemp license from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) starting, Wednesday, November 1, 2023. Applications will only be accepted online at https://agi.alabama.gov/hemp/formsandapplications/. The final day to apply for a hemp license is January 15, 2024 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.

“This is the department’s sixth 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,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate.

For more information and updates, please visit https://agi.alabama.gov/hemp/formsandapplications/. ADAI will receive Industrial Hemp applications until 5:00 pm (CST) on January 15, 2024.