Publication

The Michigan Department of Agriculture began a pilot program for Industrial Hemp production during the spring of 2019. Michigan State University Extension began programming about hemp during the growing season in 2019. Upon receiving numerous questions on the regulation of hemp and noting that the Michigan Department of Agriculture was too understaffed to provide sufficient answers to all of the questions, I coauthored the “FAQ on Hemp Licensing and Regulation” with Gina Alessandri, the Hemp Program Director with the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The audience for this frequently asked question document was people interested in becoming licensed to grow, process, or sell hemp in Michigan during 2019 and beyond. It was posted on the Michigan State University Extension News website and distributed by a listserv of those possessing a current hemp production license in Michigan or had previously signed up for the newsletter. Through the Michigan Department of Agriculture listserv, it was distributed to 603 registered growers in Michigan and 483 licensed processors or handlers of hemp. On the Michigan State University Extension website, it had 471 page views. This publication served to answer very timely questions from a small, but very avid audience of those looking to expand or to start new hemp businesses in Michigan.