Federal agriculture officials have given the green light to a hemp production plan for Idaho, the last state to pass hemp legislation.
The Idaho Department of Agriculture says it will begin taking online license applications early next week.
Idaho’s hemp law allows hemp cultivation and transportation but not the sale of any hemp products containing THC, a compromise to allow farmers to grow the crop while reducing law-enforcement confusion around the state’s marijuana laws.
The Idaho hemp plan includes:
- A ban on growing for anyone convicted of a felony drug violation in the past 10 years.
- $100 annual application fees and $500 annual licensing fees for growers.
- $100 annual application fees and $1,000 annual licensing fees for processors.
A state agriculture department spokeswoman said she anticipates Idaho growers will begin filing applications to grow hemp right away, but it’s difficult to gauge how much interest there will be, considering the oversaturation of the hemp market nationwide.
