Hemp Is Here To Stay: Wisconsin Governor Signs New Hemp Legislation

Governor Tony Evers, on November 26, signed 2019 Wisconsin Act 68 (Act 68), a bipartisan bill that makes hemp farming a permanent industry in the State of Wisconsin.

In 2018, Wisconsin launched a temporary "industrial hemp" pilot program. The two-year program allowed individuals to obtain licenses to grow hemp for research purposes, and it has proven a great success. Also in 2018, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) issued 245 licenses to hemp growers and processors. This year, DATCP issued licenses to 1,247 hemp growers and 556 hemp processors.

Act 68 comes in response to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new hemp farming regulations, highlighted in Reinhart's recent article, " Hold On To Your Hemp: USDA Issues Highly Anticipated Rule Governing Hemp Production." The USDA regulations include licensing requirements, testing procedures for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration levels, compliance provisions and...