Those wanting to grow and process hemp in Minnesota in 2024 must apply for a license with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) by April 30, said the state. To date, about 113 people have applied for an MDA license. A license from the MDA is required for individuals and businesses.
Minnesota became the 23rd state in the US to legalize recreational cannabis in 2023, the culmination of a years-long push from activists and lengthy debates in the legislature. Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2024, and a license is valid for the 2024 calendar year.
The application can be found on the MDA website. Along with the online form, first-time applicants and authorized representatives need to submit fingerprints and pass a criminal background check. These licenses are for growing and processing industrial hemp only.
State officials said hemp grower or processor applications are not for the growth or sale of adult-use or medical marijuana, or cannabis. The application is also not intended for the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Adult-use cannabis information can be found on the Office of Cannabis Management website. Information related to medical cannabis and hemp-derived cannabinoid products can be found at the Minnesota Department of Health website.
Growers and processors need to be aware of the following for 2024:
- All authorized representatives designated by the applicant must pass a criminal history background check prior to the issuance of a license.
- Every lot of hemp grown requires pre-harvest THC regulatory testing. Each official regulatory sample collected by the MDA will cost $100.
- The MDA licenses processors that handle raw hemp and initially process it by extraction, decortication, devitalization, crushing, or packaging, and the department will continue random inspections of processor locations.
- License fees will remain the same. The minimum cost of a grower license is $400. A processing license is a minimum of $500.
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.
Minnesota Industrial Hemp Program Licensing and Acreage Statistics are available on the 2023 Hemp Program Annual Report.
Questions about the MDA’s Industrial Hemp Program should be sent to hemp.mda@state.mn.us or 651-201-6600.
