Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles announced on Friday that growers may begin applying for hemp licenses for the 2020 season from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) in mid-November.
KDA will begin accepting processor and handler applications on November 15, 2019 and will accept grower applications up until March 15, 2020.
Commissioner Quarles says that the Department is making significant changes to the application process for the 2020 hemp season to make it work better for growers and processors.
Among the changes is the addition of an online application process.
“Kentucky continues to be the tip of the spear on restoring this crop, but I always remind folks that we are still in the infancy of the restoration,” said Commissioner Quarles in a statement. “Challenges persist, ranging from federal uncertainty regarding cannabinol to banking and lending issues.”
Quarles says that any business venture, particularly in a new industry, carries risks and that the hemp industry is no exception.
He says that it’s important for growers and processors to remain clear-eyed about challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the years to come.
In the KDA program, there are currently more than 110 licensed processors and handlers.
According to KDA, processors generated $57.75 million in gross product sales in 2018, invested $23.4 million, and created 281 full-time jobs.
For those interested in learning about the state’s hemp pilot program, KDA will be hosting a Kentucky Hemp Summit for growers, processors, and others on December 4 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.
