New Hemp Approval Program in Florida Gets 2 Thumbs up
February 9, 2021 Florida’s fledgling industrial hemp industry is aiming to find its wings. But there are still many unknowns when it comes to growing the alternative crop. A new hemp approval program hopes to light the way for a smooth takeoff.
Owners of industrial hemp genetics can now submit their varieties for approval by the University of Florida for legal sale within the state.
UF/IFAS, in partnership with Roseville Farms in Apopka, has established a program that provides a science-based evaluation of industrial hemp varieties. As a crop new to Florida, all industrial hemp material must be approved prior to production and sale within the state per state law and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) rules.
The approval program is led by Brian Pearson, Assistant Professor of crop management at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center.
“The ultimate goal with this program is for growers to have knowledge of that plant and its performance when they purchase it,” Pearson says. “What’s unique about the UF/IFAS approval program is that we are growing all of these plants indoors under very closely controlled environmental conditions.”
Growers interested in having their hemp varieties or cultivars approved by UF/IFAS can visit the Clonally Propagated Hemp Cultivar Approval Program website to access and submit an application.
Once approved, producers will submit rootless cuttings and pay a one-time fee that covers the THC testing portion of the approval process. The cuttings are grown under a controlled environment at Roseville Farms for 12 weeks and evaluated for THC levels to ensure the submitted cultivars test at or below the 0.3% total THC levels required.
Cultivars that meet this requirement will be approved by UF/IFAS and the approval will be sent to FDACS. This approval allows the owner of the approved hemp variety or cultivar to legally propagate and sell the vegetative cuttings in the Sunshine State.
For more information on the approval process and how to participate, visit the UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Program approval process website.