Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) has signed legislation to create a state program to regulate the cultivation, production, and sale of hemp and hemp-based products.
DeSantis signed the bill, SB1020 on Tuesday along with 14 other pieces of legislation.
The bill overwhelmingly passed its third readings in both the House (112-1) and the Senate (39-0) in early May.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Nikki Fried (D), says that the bill’s signing marks a transformation for Florida, and a critical step in creating a green industrial revolution, strengthening agriculture with an alternative crop, and expanding safe access to quality CBD products.
“For months, our department has been developing rules and gathering public input, and we’re hitting the ground running to build a state hemp program that will be a model for the country,” says Commissioner Fried. “Florida has the potential to become the gold standard on hemp—our deep agricultural heritage, climate and resources, and farming infrastructure will make Florida a national leader in this emerging new economy.”
The Department of Agriculture released draft rules for the state’s new hemp program during the past week, which are expected to be finalized within the coming months.
According to Fried, if there are no significant changes to the rules, the first crops could be planted in the Fall.
