Reminder for Registered Hemp Growers Regarding Marijuana Cultivation
May 31, 2024
Although hemp and marijuana are the same Cannabis genus, the plants are regulated very differently. Hemp is a federally legal crop, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) regulates hemp cultivation under state law that mirrors the federal 2018 Farm Bill and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Domestic Hemp Production Program. Marijuana is currently not federally legal and is regulated at the state level by the Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
Per the Industrial Hemp Growers Act, Act 220 of 2020:
- You must have a Hemp Grower’s Registration to grow any amount of hemp in Michigan.
- You cannot grow marijuana under a hemp registration. MDARD conducts regular hemp inspections, which can be announced or unannounced, and the department often collects samples to determine if the lot is at or below 0.3% THC.
- You must have proof your plants are hemp, including variety names and seed or transplant purchase documentation. Inspectors review invoices, Certificates of Analyses, seed labels, and other documentation from you to help verify the plants are intended to be hemp. Without such documentation, sampling will likely occur.
- MDARD has the authority to test any plants they deem necessary, as well as order disposal of any plants that test as marijuana.
- MDARD must complete sampling prior to harvesting hemp to ensure THC levels are within the hemp threshold of 0.3% or less.
For more information on MDARD’s Industrial Hemp program, please visit our website, call 517-294-5516, or email MDARD-IndustrialHemp@Michigan.gov. For information on marijuana cultivation or hemp processing, please visit the Cannabis Regulatory Agency’s website.
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