USDA approves Michigan’s industrial hemp plan

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's industrial hemp plan is now USDA-approved.

The plan establishes regulatory requirements for cultivating industrial hemp, making MDARD the primary oversight of the industry, following a successful pilot program launched last year. In all, 631 growers and 517 processor-handlers participated in the pilot.

"The success of the pilot program has paved the way for cultivation and expansion of Michigan's new crop," MDARD Director Gary McDowell said in a statement. "The approval of the state plan is a testament to the hard work our team has put in over the last 22 months developing the regulatory framework for growers to diversify their operations."

MDARD will implement the state hemp plan starting on Dec. 1.

Michigan joins Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and South Dakota as states that have recently had their hemp regulatory proposals accepted by the USDA, according to Marijuana Moment.

MDARD launched the Industrial Hemp Ag Pilot Program so farmers and researchers could grow and study industrial hemp, or cannabis that has low levels of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana. It can be used for textiles, food, biofuel, animal feed, and CBD, the non-psychoactive component of marijuana.

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