STATE POLICY
The Florida Hemp Association has been directly involved with the
drafting and passage  of both the 2017 Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Project legislation, and the 2019 SB 1020, creating the State Hemp Program.
 
In 2017, the Florida legislature passed the  Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Project legislation, authorized by the 2014 Federal Farm bill. The legislation authorized the University of Florida and Florida A& M to create public private partnerships  for hemp research. Both university projects are underway. 
 
The passage of the 2018 Federal Farm Act, which removed hemp from the Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, prompted the passage SB 1020 in 2019, creating the State Hemp Plan. This new State Hemp Plan law dramatically expands commercial hemp cultivation, processing and product manufacturing opportunities in Florida. 
 
The new program  directs the Florida Department of Agriculture to develop rules for new law (s. 581.217 F.S.) and, allow interested parties to submit applications to the DOACS for licenses and approvals for hemp cultivation, processing and manufacturing .
 
Once approved, interested parties may submit their plan and application to the DOACS for the cultivation and commercialization license. This will likely take place in Q4 2019. 
 
For more information, please email Taylor Biehl here.