Applications being taken for industrial hemp pilot program

Applications are now being accepted for a pilot program to grow industrial hemp for research in North Carolina. There is no deadline to apply for the program, which is open to farmers who can show evidence of income from a farming operation.

“The N.C. Industrial Hemp Commission has worked diligently and quickly to establish temporary rules before the 2017 planting season,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “There has been considerable interest in this program, and we expect a good number of farmers to apply for licenses.”

Under the rules, farmers will need to apply for a license, which will allow the holder to plant, harvest and market the crop. Licenses can be for one or three years. Applications will be reviewed and approved or denied by the Industrial Hemp Commission.

Applicants will have to pay an annual fee, must provide evidence of having income from a farming operation, must provide a written statement of the research objective, and must provide access to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Plant Industry Division and law enforcement for sampling in the field or in storage.

Applicants can find more eligibility requirements online at www.ncagr.gov/hemp/Rules.

To obtain an application, go to www.ncagr.gov/hemp and click on the application link, or contact Meghan Roche, seed and fertilizer field supervisor, at 919-707-3735 or by email at meghan.roche@ncagr.gov.