On Thursday June 6^th, 2019, House Bill 491 was signed into law by Governor John Bel Edwards to allow industrial hemp to be grown in Louisiana. The bill prohibits the sale of smokable hemp and CBD products can be sold only as food or cosmetics. If the testing reveals THC levels >0.3% then the crop of commercial farmers must be destroyed.

In December 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Louisiana’s industrial hemp state plan.

The state requires separate licenses for hempseed producers, hemp growers, hemp transporters and hemp processors. Each license for growers and processors costs $500 a year and additional THC testing fees of $250. CBD retailers are required to obtain licenses from the state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. The retailer permit costs $250.

In 2020, Louisiana had 91 registered growers in 41 parishes with 2,600 acres of hemp, of which about 800 acres were planted.

In 2022, 65 growers, 12 seed producers and 3 processors have been licensed through the state Agriculture and Forestry Department. According to USDA statistics, only 20 acres of hemp were planted in Louisiana, with the vast majority of industrial hemp grown for fiber (15.5 acres) and the rest produced for CBD.

In 2023, 64 grower licenses were issued by the Department.

Louisiana Hemp Industry Infographics

Louisiana Cannabis Market