Plant Industries
Serving the citizens of Arkansas and the agricultural and business communities by providing information and unbiased enforcement of laws and regulations set by the Arkansas State Plant Board
Hemp Home
ARKANSAS HEMP PROGRAM
Welcome to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Hemp Program webpage. The AR Hemp Program is authorized by the Arkansas Hemp Production Act of 2021 and the 2018 Farm Bill.
Active Hemp Program Licensee Lists:
2025 Hemp Program Applications are now available on the “Applications for Hemp Licensing” webpage.
The Arkansas Hemp Program licenses state residents to grow, process, or handle industrial hemp in Arkansas. The program does NOT issue licenses to companies selling, storing, or transporting finished hemp products.
- Licensed Hemp Growers: Can legally produce hemp crops.
- Licensed Hemp Processors: Can legally purchase hemp crop materials and convert it into publicly marketable hemp products such as seed oil or CBD oil.
- Licensed Hemp Handlers: Can legally possess and manage hemp materials, e.g., seed cleaning, seed storing, lab testing, harvest drying/storing, etc.
Full program details are on this website and organized across different webpages as listed below.
For further inquiries, email [email protected]
Interested in applying for a Hemp License? Please read all program webpages mentioned below, program rules, the Arkansas Hemp Act of 2021, the 2025 Program Orientation PowerPoint, and the Application Instructions Packet. The 2025 Program Orientation PowerPoint is especially helpful if you are brand new to hemp production in Arkansas.
Arkansas Hemp Program Webpages:
Hemp Program Overview: Contains general background information about the AR Hemp Program, including overview, program updates, legislative info, season statistics, and previous pilot research program details.
Hemp Program Rules & The Law: Contains hemp laws and rules, any proposed rules, and public comment opportunities. Applicants must be familiar with these rules and laws prior to applying for a license.
Applications for Hemp Licensing: Contains both Hemp Grower and Hemp Processor/Handler Applications in a fillable Adobe PDF format, along with the Application Instructions Packet, a Program Fees Chart, and instructions for obtaining a criminal history background check. Applications are accepted at any time for Hemp Processor/Handler and Indoor Hemp Grower Applicants. Outdoor Hemp Grower Applicants have a seasonal deadline, usually in late April.
License Holders—Forms & Deadlines: Contains all Hemp Program reports and request forms. You will also find a list of important program deadlines, the program’s summary of varieties list, as well as the latest Sampling, Testing, Remediation & Disposal Guidelines document.
Restrictions on Sale or Transfer: Contains information on selling or transferring hemp materials in Arkansas, as well as what Arkansas determines to be publicly sold or must remain in the possession of a license holder.
Hemp Resources & Additional Links: Contains helpful links and resources related to the industrial hemp industry in Arkansas and the U.S.
Have a Question for the Program?
E-mail [email protected]
