Industrial Hemp
Overview
The cultivation of hemp along with the production of hemp-based products has had a long, tumultuous legal history in the United States. Hemp – a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species – is typically grown for its industrial uses. Although industrial hemp is derived from the same Cannabis sativa species as the marijuana plant, industrial hemp has lower concentrations of the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD) which decreases the psychoactive effects. Hemp is used to produce a variety of things, including fiber, paper, biodegradable plastics, biofuel, food products, and animal feed. Read the full overview
Note: Recently added resources are posted at the top of the applicable sections.
Major Statutes
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-334 §§ 7129, 7501, 7605, 10113, 10114, 11101, 11106, 11113, 11119, 11121, 12619
Agricultural Act of 2014, 7 U.S.C. § 5940
Controlled Substances Act (CSA), 21 U.S.C. §§ 801 – 904, 951 – 971
Industrial Hemp Laws: State-by-State
Regulations
Final Rule for the Establishment of a Domestic Hemp Production Program, 7 CFR §990
Federal Register Rules Open for Comment
Case Law
Case Law Index for Industrial Hemp
Center Research Publications
Industrial Hemp Laws: State-by-State (NALC Research Staff)
Congressional Research Service Reports
Reports– published and made available by CRS beginning in 2017
Subjects- published by CRS and made available by NALC until 2018:
Agricultural Law Bibliography
Introduction | Keyword Search | Browse Categories
Legal publications on Industrial Hemp:
Administrative Law (Federal and State Farm Programs)
Reference Resources
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on signing of the Agriculture Improvement Act and the agency’s regulation of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds
FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, including Cannabidiol (CBD)
FDA Responds to Three GRAS Notices for Hemp Seed-Derived Ingredients for Use in Human Food
Better Data for a Better Understanding of the Use and Safety Profile of Cannabidiol (CBD) Products
What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA Statement of Principles on Industrial Hemp
Overview of Hemp
Hemp Production Program
Hemp Production – U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program Launches Hemp eManagement Platform (HeMP)Hemp Production Program Questions and Answers
Hemp Rulemaking Documents
USDA Publishes Final Rule for the Domestic Production of Hemp
Hemp and Farm Programs
USDA Information for Producers
For USDA Licensed Producers Only
Information on Hemp Testing Laboratories
Congressional Resources
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
Other Federal Resources
DEA Announces Actions Related to Marijuana and Industrial Hemp
DEA Announces Steps Necessary to Improve Access to Marijuana Research
International Resources
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
European Union: Market Trends and Regulations for Industrial Hemp in the European Union
Mexico: Hemp Regulation and Trade in Mexico
Colombia: 2021 Colombia Hemp Annual Report
China: China’s Hemp and Hemp Products Import Policies
France: Industrial Hemp in France
Hong Kong: Documentation Requirements for Hemp Seed Transshipments via Hong Kong
Thailand: Industrial Hemp Report 2021
Japan: Japanese Import Regulations for Industrial Hemp Products
Ecuador: Industrial Hemp Report
Brazil: Brazil’s Initial Hemp Report
Philippines: Industrial Hemp Report
Netherlands: An Overview of the Dutch Hemp Market
Germany: Hemp’s Sustainability Highlighted by European Industrial Hemp Association Manifesto
Romania: Romanian Industrial Hemp Market Overview
Italy: Italian Industrial Hemp Overview 2020
Ukraine: Industrial Hemp Report
Germany: The German Hemp Market – Hemp Makes a Comeback in Germany
Canada: Industrial Hemp Production Trade and Regulation
China: 2019 Hemp Annual Report
Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA)
Industrial Hemp Production in Canada (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry)
European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA)
Hemp Production in the EU (European Commission)
Indian Industrial Hemp Association (IIHA)
Additional Resources
State Industrial Hemp Statutes (National Conference of State Legislatures)
Industrial Hemp (Agricultural Marketing Resource Center)
Hemp Industries Association (HIA)
U.S. Hemp Authority
National Hemp Association
Kentucky Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program (Kentucky Department of Agriculture)
Purdue University Hemp Project
ProVerde Laboratories
SC Laboratories
Green Leaf Lab
Encore Labs
Agricultural Hemp Solutions
New West Genetics
Cannabis Testing Lab Accreditation Program (ANAB)
Challenges and Solutions: Access to Banking Services for Cannabis-Related Businesses (Independent Community Bankers of America)
National Hemp Business Directory
Publications
Industrial Hemp Seed: From the Field to Value-Added Food Ingredients (Burton, et. al., 4 J. Cannabis Rsch. (2022)
Industrial Hemp Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Seeds, Fiber, Shivs), By Application (Animal Care, Textiles, Personal Care), By Region (North America, APAC), and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030 (Grand View Research, 2022)
Industrial Hemp Production (Penn. State Extension, 2018)
DEA Clarifies Marijuana Extract Rule and CBD Legality (Kight on Cannabis, 2017)
Industrial Hemp in North America: Production, Politics and Potential (Small, E. and J. Cherney, 2016)
Industrial Hemp Production (University of Kentucky Extension, 2015)
Evaluating the Public Interest: Regulation Of Industrial Hemp Under the Controlled Substances Act (Kolosov, 57 UCLA L. Rev. 237 (2009))
Industrial Hemp: The Crop for the Seventh Generation (Lash, 27 Am. Indian L. Rev. 313 (2002))
Hemp: A New Crop with New Uses for North America (Small, E. and D. Marcus, 2002)