Online applications are now open for anyone wishing to grow or process hemp in Minnesota in 2022. A license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is required for individuals and businesses.
Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2022, and a license is good for the 2022 calendar year.
The application can be found on the MDA website at www.mda.state.mn.us/industrialhemp. Along with the online form, first-time applicants need to submit fingerprints and pass a criminal background check.
There are several changes to the 2022 program. They include:
- The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing fee per grower sample has been reduced from $125 to $100 each.
- Previously, growers were not invoiced for the cost of the first sample; however, fees now will be charged for each sample collected.
- The MDA will begin inspecting processor locations. This was not done in the past.
- The processor license fee remains at $250, but each processing location will cost $250. Therefore, the minimum cost of a processing license will be $500.
The fee changes bring Minnesota into better alignment with other states and will help adequately fund the MDA’s Hemp Program.
While the deadline to apply or renew is April 30, 2022, those actively growing hemp plants indoors past December 31, 2021, must renew their license before expiration at the end of the year.
Questions about the MDA’s Industrial Hemp Program should be sent to hemp.mda@state.mn.us or 651-201-6600.
Background
Industrial hemp and marijuana are both types of the same plant, Cannabis sativa. They differ by the concentration level of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) within the plant. Hemp has less than 0.3% THC, and levels above that are considered marijuana.
Minnesota operated under a hemp pilot program from 2016-2020. In 2021, the program began operating under a new, federally approved state plan that governs production and regulation.
| Licensing and Acreage | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approved Applicants | 7 | 47 | 65 | 505 | 542 | 424 |
| Licensed Growers | 6 | 33 | 43 | 350 | 461 | 347 |
| Licensed Processors- Processing Only | 0 | 5 | 8 | 49 | 77 | 77 |
| Outdoor Acres Planted | 38 | 1,202 | 709 | 7,353 | 5,808 | 2,445 |
| Indoor Square Feet Planted | 0 | 0 | 54,618 | 40,304 | 1,460,328 | 350,00 |
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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us
