Frequently Asked Questions Industrial Hemp Program

FAQs about Applications

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Can I do my background check after I send in my application?

No. Submitting your fingerprints, the waiver and the fee for your background check must be done at the time you submit your application.
How much are the fees and when are they due?

The application fee is $100 and is due with the application no later than March 15 each year. The background check fee is $47 per person and is due with the fingerprint card and waiver no later than March 15 each year. The license fee is $1,200 and is due 15 days once you have been notified of your application's conditional approval.
When are applications due?

License applications to cultivate or produce industrial hemp are due no later than March 15 each year. Applications, including all required documents: the application fee, the fingerprint card, the waiver form, and the background check fee, must be postmarked no later than the deadline. No part of the applications materials can be submitted after the deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

General FAQs

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Is it legal to grow industrial hemp?

The cultivation or production of industrial hemp in Kansas is permitted by The Commercial Industrial Hemp Act, however, it requires an industrial hemp producer license issued by KDA and licensees may only use authorized seed or clone plants of industrial hemp.
How many licenses have been awarded?

All active licenses are listed at the Current Growers, and you can search for a particular license at https://portal.kda.ks.gov/Hemp/HempSearch/LicenseSearch.
How can I participate in the program?

Those wishing to participate in the Commercial Industrial Hemp Program must have a license. Other than submitting an application, applicants need to submit a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history record check. Anyone with a drug-related felony on their record within the last ten years will not be granted a license to grow industrial hemp.
Will I need to get a permit or license to grow?

Yes, the Kansas Department of Agriculture oversees and annually licenses all those participating in the cultivation or production of industrial hemp. Applications must be submitted no later than March 15 each year one intends to grow or cultivate industrial hemp. Until you receive your license your license from the Kansas Department of Agriculture, it remains unlawful to grow or cultivate industrial hemp in Kansas.
What is industrial hemp, and what is the difference between industrial hemp and marijuana?

In Kansas, industrial hemp is defined as all parts and varieties of the plant Cannabis sativa L, whether growing or not, that contains a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis [K.S.A. 2-3901(b)(7)]. Industrial hemp is of the same species as marijuana. Any cannabis with a percentage of THC above 0.3% is considered to be marijuana and is not legal for production or sale.
Can I get a license to grow ditch weed (naturalized cannabis)?
No, the only source of Cannabis sativa which is allowed is authorized seed or clone plants of industrial hemp. Authorized seed or clone plants of industrial hemp are:
- Certified seed which has been certified by a certifying agency as defined in K.S.A. 2-1415;
- Industrial hemp which has been produced from plants that were tested during the active growing season and were found to produce industrial hemp having a THC concentration that does not exceed 0.3% on a dry weight basis and has been certified in writing by the grower or distributor of such seeds or clone plants to possess such qualities; or
- Meets any other authorized standards approved by the KDA through rules and regulations, except that no seed or clone plants shall be considered authorized seed or clone plants if they do not meet any standard adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Is a license required to transport industrial hemp?

Currently, no license is required to transport industrial hemp, however, certain hemp products are unlawful in Kansas without being a registered hemp processor or commercial industrial hemp producer. Individuals must comply with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations related to the transportation of industrial hemp and with The Commercial Industrial Hemp Act. For more information, please visit the state’s Current Laws and Regulations page.
What hemp products are prohibited?

K.S.A 02-3908 provides it is unlawful to manufacture, market, sell or distribute certain hemp products in Kansas. Additionally, it provides it is unlawful to market, sell or distribute certain hemp products in Kansas without being a registered hemp processor or commercial industrial hemp producer. For more information, please visit the state’s Current Laws and Regulations page.
What resources are there for prospective or current growers?
Kansas State University
University of Kentucky Hemp Research, Extension, and Education

Cornell University Hemp

Purdue University Hemp Project

University of Illinois Extension - Hemp

The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program - Hemp

Oregon State University Global Hemp Innovation Center

Hemp Resource Center at Colorado State University

University of Georgia Extension - Hemp

North Carolina State University Extension - Hemp

Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech and Virginia State University) - Hemp

Pennsylvania State University Extension - Industrial Hemp

Michigan State University Extension - Hemp Production

Rutgers Hemp Program

University of Connecticut CAHNR Cannabis Programs

University of Tennessee AgResearch - UTIA Hemp Research & Outreach

Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension - Hemp

University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension - Wisconsin Hemp

Kansas Department of Agriculture

Frequently Asked Questions Industrial Hemp Program

FAQs about Applications

Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs

General FAQs