The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) recently announced that the USDA has approved its hemp production plan. The state will now move forward in bringing hemp to the state and helping its local farmers thrive.
“We thank USDA for their work on this new federal hemp program, and we are grateful they have approved Minnesota’s plan,” MDA Commissioner, Thom Petersen, told the press. “While this is a major step forward, there are still concerns over some of the regulations imposed on states and tribal governments, such as testing requirements.”
The MDA plans to keep in line with all requests by its federal counterpart to continue to ensure that Minnesota’s hemp growers are prospering in a legal environment.
The state’s pilot program began in 2016 with only six producers, that number now has grown to 511 licensees who either grow or process hemp. The program also allows the cultivation of 8,605 acres of hemp and 4.66 million square feet of indoor grow space.
Minnesota essentially plans to continue running its pilot program, happy with many of the measures in place. The MDA is eager to give farmers a crop to expand their possibilities, due to the many uses of hemp including medicine, food, rope, clothing, paper, and building materials to name a few.
