Information for States and Tribes with USDA-approved Hemp Plans

Hemp Plans

In order for a State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory to provide regulatory oversight to hemp growers in their jurisdiction, a hemp plan must be submitted to USDA for approval. Only governing bodies, such as the State Department of Agriculture or Tribal Government, may submit a hemp plan for approval.

The hemp plan describes how the State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory will manage hemp growers in their jurisdiction. There is no standardized hemp plan format; however, all hemp plans, at minimum, must contain the requirements outlined in 7 CFR Part 990.

To submit a hemp plan for approval, please log-in to your State, Tribe or U.S. Territory account using the Hemp eManagement Platform (HeMP).  If your State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory does not have a HeMP account, please create one by following the instructions at this link.  To be added to a preexisting State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory account, please contact the HeMP administrator for your State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory. For help submitting a hemp plan, please use the training resources below. USDA provides technical assistance during the hemp plan review and approval process.

Hemp plans must remain current, and if major changes to hemp program operations are made, a State, Tribe or U.S. Territory must submit a revised hemp plan. Additionally, if changes are made to any laws, codes, and/or regulations which substantially impact the operation of an approved hemp plan, a revised hemp plan must be submitted. Hemp plans may be updated at any time.

Approved Hemp Plans

Click this link for a list of approved State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory hemp plans  -   Approved Hemp Plans link

Hemp Plan Requirements 

The 2018 Farm Bill and 7 CFR Part 990 created a standardized framework for all hemp production across the U.S. Some basic requirements must be met, regardless of where a person is licensed to grow hemp. A State, Tribe or U.S. Territory hemp plan submitted to the USDA for approval must include the practice and procedures described in 7 CFR 990.3(a). Some examples of those requirements include:

  • Licensing
  • Compliance Testing
  • Harvest Requirements
  • Reporting
  • A document outlining the requirements of a hemp plan can be found here [link].

Audits

Once a State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory has an approved hemp plan, USDA may perform an audit to ensure that it is following its approved hemp plan and the requirements of 7 CFR Part 990. Audits may be conducted in-person or through a desk audit. During an audit, USDA will complete a comprehensive review of the hemp program’s operations. If deficiencies are uncovered during the audit, the State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory will be given the opportunity to correct issues to come back into compliance.

Farm Service Agency

It is a requirement under 7 CFR Part 990 that a State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory require its licensees to report hemp growing locations to their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. Information on finding local FSA offices is available under the Resources menu tab [link]. Additional training resources on FSA are provided under the HeLP menu tab [link].

Monthly and Annual Reporting

Once a State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory has an approved hemp plan, monthly and annual reporting requirements are triggered. A State, Tribe, or U.S. Territory must submit a report using their HeMP account each month even if no hemp is being grown or no licenses have been issued. Additionally, an annual report is due on December 15 of each calendar year. It is important that States, Tribes, and/or U.S. Territories collect the information from their growers in sufficient time to complete their annual report.

Important Links for States, Tribes, and U.S. Territories