In 2018 when the Farm Bill was passed, it became legal to grow hemp at the federal level. Since it’s legalization, many states have grown hemp and have shown the benefits of this approval. The hemp plant can be used for countless products, including food, plastics and fiber applications.

This bill allowed states to grow and process industrial hemp. While it allowed the production of hemp for farmers in the U.S. at the federal level, not every state immediately legalized hemp.

 In April 2021, the governor of Idaho signed a bill legalizing industrial hemp in that state. While the U.S. legalized the Farm Bill, Idaho did not allow growing or processing hemp until earlier this year and is the last state in the U.S. to legalize growing hemp.

For farmers in Idaho, this allows them to have another rotational crop. More options for rotational crops means a higher probability for successful harvesting and income. 

While the bill allows for growing, processing and transporting hemp, it does not allow the production or sale of any products that have any amount of THC in them. This includes selling products containing CBD. The next step for Idaho farmers is to have a bill passed to allow for products containing less than 0.3% THC.

The hemp license application opened Nov. 8, meaning that the first growing season will be in 2022.

Further information regarding the Idaho bill:

U.S. News: Idaho Gets OK to License Farmers to Grow, Transport Hemp.

KTVB7: Hemp legalization to help crop diversity in rural communities, bring in additional revenue.

KTVB7: Plan approved to allow Idaho Dept. of Agriculture to license hemp producers, handlers.