Top 10 Kentucky Hemp Highlights from 2018

It's been an amazing year for the Kentucky hemp industry -- from federal legalization to the expansion of the state hemp pilot program -- so we are eager to see what's in store for the next. To celebrate the new year, we're sharing our top 10 "Kentucky Proud" hemp highlights from 2018 (by date):

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January 10th

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture approves 225 applications from growers seeking to cultivate 12,018 acres of industrial hemp for research purposes in 2018. Note: According to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, those numbers were altered before the season to 210 grower participants and 16,100 approved acres.

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March 26th

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) hosts roundtable in Frankfort to annouce the introduction of the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 (S. 2667).

Co-founders Alyssa Erickson and Kirstin Bohnert were invited to join Senator McConnell and Commissioner Quarles at the Hemp Roundtable.

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April 12th

Congressman James Comer (R-KY) introduces companion bill to the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 in the House (H.R. 5485).

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June 8th

Senator McConnell secures Hemp Farming Act of 2018 in the Farm Bill (Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018).​​

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October 17th

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture reports farmers grew 6,700 acres of hemp during the 2018 season.​

For more information, visit kyagr.com.

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December 2nd

Commissioner Ryan Quarles reports to the Kentucky Farm Bureau that more than 1,000 Kentucky farmers applied to grow hemp in 2019 -- a 400 percent increase from applications for the 2018 production year.

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December 11th

The U.S. Senate passes the 2018 Farm Bill, including the Hemp Farming Act, by a vote of 87-14.

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December 12th

The U.S. House of Representatives passes the 2018 Farm Bill, including the Hemp Farming Act, by a vote of 369-47.

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December 20th

The Farm Bill is signed into law by the President, with the Hemp Farming Act included, and hemp is federally legalized!

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December 20th

Commissioner Ryan Quarles submits regulatory plan for hemp production to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue at Farm Bill signing, making Kentucky the first state to seek federal approval of hemp program.

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles presenting USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue with hemp program plan after Farm Bill signing.