Do you want to grow hemp in North Carolina?

NC Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for hemp farmers.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the NC Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. Given that NOrth Carolina is my home state I’ve been watching this process closely and am pleased to say that the program appears to be robust and well thought out.

There is no fee to apply for a license; however, there are fees required in order for a license to be issued. Fees are broken into two categories; initial fee and graduated annual fees. The initial fee for all license holders is $250. The annual fees are $250 for 49 acres or less, and $500 for 50 acres or more. All licenses holders are required to pay an additional fee of $2/acre or $2/square foot of greenhouse, whichever is applicable.

If you are interested in participating in the NC Industrial Hemp Pilot Program and have questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

 

Rod Kight is a lawyer based in Asheville, NC. He is licensed in North Carolina and Oregon and represents legal cannabis businesses. You can contact him by clicking here.

Posted: February 27, 2017

33 comments on “Do you want to grow hemp in North Carolina?Add yours →

    1. Thanks for your comments, Greggory. In fact, the General Assembly is currently considering two bills (one in the House (HB 185) and an analogous one in the Senate (SB 648)) to legalize medical marijuana. They are both in Committee right now. I encourage you and others to reach out to your NC Representatives to show support for these bills.

      1. I have used marijuana to treat my rheumatic arthritis and no longer require medicine that had been costing the state of North Carolina Medicaid three thousand dollars a month. also, I would like to tell you this story when I first went to the specialist For my RA he told that the only thing to begin treatment is we had to choose which poison to start with the second it was necessary for me to have liver function test every three months there were also chances of me developing cancer and it may cause death marijuana has saved my life if it becomes legal you will save the state millions of dollars and save lives it will for all of North Carolina

  1. So could i grow hemp at home ?
    Like personal plants or do i need my license i would really like to know.

    1. Good question, Tyler. IN order to grow hemp you need to obtain a license. If you’re in NC click here for a link to the application site.

    1. Unfortunately, you will not be able to obtain a license to grow industrial hemp in NC unless you receive income from faring.

  2. I order to be part of the pilot program, is there a minimum acreage or number of plants stated? I would love to grow a small amount strictly for CBD oil. This is to see if it’s somethibf I could turn into a business once it is legalized. I currently use CBD oil for joint pain.

    1. Thank you for reading and commenting, Lorri. Currently, in North Carolina there are no minimums on acreage or number of plant starts. (This may change since NC is under temporary rules.) Good luck with your business.

  3. I have about 5ac of unused farm land and would like any info about the program to grow. Being a disabled veteran,I have plenty of time on my hands to put forth to growing. What is the market like and how many acres need to be grown to show a profit/break even?

    1. Charles- Unfortunately, I cannot give you information about how to make a profit growing hemp. NC State University has done a lot of good research on this issue. I recommend that you reach out to the agriculture department to discuss your questions.

  4. I was curious about oil testing. I know the prices supposedly being paid are from 5% up to 20%. Do you know who does this testing and if anybody could do this given the right training and equipment?

    1. Barrett- There are a number of analytical testing laboratories. Feel free to send me a direct message and I’ll give you my recommendations.

    1. Jared- Good question. Unfortunately, not in NC (or any other state of which I am aware.) Currently, in order to grow lawful hemp you must qualify under the state’s pilot program. -Rod

  5. Good Afternoon Rod
    My son-in-law and Grandson have purchased 25 acres in Missouri to grow hemp and Cannabis. I own a summer house in Henrico but I am looking at purchasing land in NC to grown Hemp for use in the medical field along with my grandson. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can get additional information on what I have to do to move forward…………..Thank You for your help.

    1. William- I recommend reviewing the Industrial Hemp Commission’s webpage. And feel free to reach out to us to schedule a consult. -Rod

  6. I have used marijuana to treat my rheumatic arthritis and no longer require medicine that had been costing the state of North Carolina Medicaid three thousand dollars a month. also, I would like to tell you this story when I first went to the specialist For my RA he told that the only thing to begin treatment is we had to choose which poison to start with the second it was necessary for me to have liver function test every three months there were also chances of me developing cancer and it may cause death marijuana has saved my life if it becomes legal you will save the state millions of dollars and save lives it will for all of North Carolina

  7. My family have history of farming but I dont farm personally.. my question is, can I have a co-signer or someone in my family provide the right info for me? Thanks!

    1. Dott- Unfortunately, in NC the applicant must have filed a schedule F (farm income) in order to be eligible for a license. -Rod

  8. Seems kind of silly to limit production to only farmers or hothouse growers. As a avid horticulturist, it is well within my capabilities to grow good quality hemp, even on a smaller scale. Curious that you can also apply if you are a hothouse grower based on only a minimum of square footage…. yet a homeowner somehow doesn’t qualify, even with large sq ft area for growing. Maybe we need laws in place similar to CO.
    Am sure there are plenty of citizens who would be willing to follow the letter of the law, for the privilege of growing hemp for CBD production. Thoughts?

  9. If there are no minimum acreage/sq ft for crops, but a profit from farming is a requirement for obtaining a license does that rule out smaller scale growing of hemp for CBD Market?

    1. Mike- Fortunately, in NC the requirement is not that a farmer make a profit, but rather that s/he file a schedule F on the most recent tax return. Schedule F is for income (not profit) from farming activity. I hope this helps. -Rod

  10. Hello,

    I own a farm in Pitt County. I do not personally farm on it. We lease it out. My grandparents died and I live in Florida. They farmed on the land for over 65 years. I am interested in growing hemp.

    Thank you!

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