Industrial Hemp Growers Act’s “Numbers to Know” for Hemp Grower Requirements

Hemp plants grown at Hampshire Farms in Kingston, Michigan. Photo: Ashley Davenport

The Industrial Hemp Growers Act contains important information regarding registration fees, application deadlines, and notification requirements. The tables below highlight the numbers, deadlines, and dates included in the Act. These figures are accurate as of March 7, 2022 and are subject to change. More information about crop-related requirements below can be found at www.Michigan.gov/HempLaws including Remediation of Noncompliant Hemp, Noncompliant Hemp Crop Options, Disposal of Noncompliant Hemp, and Grower Recordkeeping. See Industrial Hemp Program Fees for more information about regulatory fees associated with hemp cultivation.

Hemp Grower Registration	Dates or Timeframes
Grower Registration cycle	February 1 – January 31
Grower Renewal Application late fee must also be submitted if application is postmarked after	January 31
Criminal history background check, required with application, must be dated	Within 60 days of submitting the registration application
Number of years a controlled substance felony will result in a denial of the registration application	10 years
If an applicant has not received a deficiency email about the application or received registration via mail, contact MDARD	4 weeks following application submittal
If the department denies application, the applicant may submit a written appeal for a hearing within	15 days after denial is received
Submit a site modification form for additions or modifications to already-registered growing locations	BEFORE implementing a growing location change

Crop-Related Tasks	Dates or Timeframes
Report planted crop information to USDA Farm Service Agency by this date or within 15 days after planting if later than this date (MDARD will not sample lots without an FSA number; see www.farmers.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA_OptionsforHemp-Factsheet-02062020.pdf for details)	July 15
Timeframe for grower to contact MDARD for an official preharvest or remediation sample of a previously noncompliant hemp, required before a lot is harvested	Between 20 to 30 days prior to anticipated harvest date
Days to pay the MDARD invoice for sampling and lab testing fees (follow directions on the invoice emailed to you)	15 days
Days before unpaid sampling and testing fees are referred to Treasury	180 days
Once MDARD has taken an official sample and THC results are compliant, the grower must harvest the lot within	30 days
If MDARD THC test results show the sample is noncompliant, the grower must take steps to complete disposal or remediation of the lot within	30 days
If grower is planning on disposing noncompliant hemp, the grower must supply MDARD with a Notice of Intent to dispose of the lot	At least 48 hours before disposal
After disposal of noncompliant hemp, the grower must supply MDARD with a Notice of Disposal within	48 hours of disposal occurring
Supply MDARD with a report of total acreage or square footage planted, harvested, dispose of due to THC or disposed of for other reasons, crop use, and indoor/outdoor planting (done via annual survey sent via email in October and submitted online)	November 30
Date by which growers must only use THC testing facilities registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)	December 31, 2022
Growers must maintain records for sales of hemp, name/address of sellers that viable hemp was purchased from, varieties of hemp grown, FSA reporting confirmation, and disposal records for this length of time	5 years

For more information about Michigan’s Industrial Hemp program, visit www.Michigan.gov/IndustrialHemp, email MDARD at MDARD-Industrialhemp@michigan.gov, or call 800-292-3939.

If you know of others who are interested in receiving industrial hemp program updates, please direct them to www.michigan.gov/industrialhemp; there is an enrollment link near the top.