Alaska Hemp Legalization

In 2018, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker signed into law Senate Bill 6, establishing an industrial hemp pilot program in the state. This law authorized the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), through the Division of Agriculture (division), to create an Industrial Hemp Pilot Program to research the growth, cultivation, and marketing of industrial hemp.

On April 4, 2020, the Alaska Industrial Hemp Pilot Program was implemented by the division, legalizing the production, processing and marketing of industrial hemp and industrial hemp products.

In September 2021, SB27 was signed into law which established a permanent industrial hemp program. The state’s Industrial Hemp Program was approved by the USDA on December 28, 2021, and came into effect on January 1, 2022.

In 2023, Alaska’s industrial hemp regulations were updated. The main changes introduced include:

• Simplification of the application and registration process; and
• Making the cultivation, manufacturing and dispensing of industrial hemp products, intended for human or animal consumption, that contain delta-9 THC illegal.

These new regulations went into effect from November 3, 2023.

What Types of Hemp Products are Legal in Alaska

Regarding hemp products intended for human or animal consumption, only those that are endorsed by the division can be sold to consumers. Examples of hemp products that can be endorsed include oil (tinctures), capsules & softgels, gummies, topicals, pet products (soft chews, hard chews, tinctures), and vape pens.

Hemp products intended for human or animal consumption that contain delta-9-THC cannot be sold to a consumer in Alaska. Hemp products not intended for human or animal consumption are legal as long as they contain less than 0.3% of delta-9-THC.

How to Endorse an Industrial Hemp Product in Alaska?

An industrial hemp product can only be registered by the product manufacturer or brand owner – not a retailer. An application for endorsement must be submitted to the division on a form provide on its website, including the following information:

• Name of the registrant.
• Name and address of the manufacturer/person whose name should appear on the product label.
• If the products are white labeled/private labeled co-packed product, the name of the actual manufacturer and address.
• Name and address of the firm submitting the application.
• Complete color copy of the label that will appear on the product.
• Certificate of Analysis from a laboratory for each product in its final form.
• Product list for each product presented as the applicant would like them to appear on the approved product list available to the public.
• Associated registration fee of $25 per product SKU.

The product registration is valid for 12 consecutive months from the date of approval and must be updated annually.

Hemp Licenses and Permits Available in Alaska

In Alaska, there are three types of registrations (licenses): retailer, processor and grower. All hemp licenses are issued by the Alaska Division of Agriculture.

An individual can hold multiple types of registrations.

Application process:

1. Submit a complete application on a form prescribed by the division with all the required information and pay the non-refundable application fee and registration fee.
2. The division will review the application to check if it is complete. If additional information is required, the applicant will be notified and the information must be provided within 30 days from the receipt of the notification. Once all required information has been received, the division will notify the applicant that the application is complete.
3. Within 60 calendar days after notifying the applicant that the application is complete, the division will approve or deny the application.

The application must include:

• The full legal name of the applicant or, if the applicant is a business entity, the following information:
  • The name of the business entity
  • Its type of business formation (e.g. partnership, association, etc.)
  • Names of its officers, members, partners
  • Proof that the business entity is authorized and in good standing with the state and other relevant jurisdictions.
  • Documentation demonstrating that the individual signing on behalf of the entity has authority to do so.
• The business name that will be used for the proposed industrial hemp business.
• The physical address of the applicant.
• The mailing address and electronic mailing address of the applicant.
• The address, GPS coordinates and a map of the area which will be used for production, processing or distribution of industrial hemp.

Applicants for a processor or retailer registration must also submit additional information detailed below.

Processor:

• A physical description of the processing facility.
• Details of where, on the submitted map of the processing facility, industrial hemp will be stored and processed.
• A list of sources of raw industrial hemp, if available.
• If the applicant wishes to extract cannabinoids and terpenoids from hemp, a description of the proposed extraction processes and safety measures.
• A statement of intended end use or of disposal of the hemp plant or plant parts that will not be processed.

Retailer:

• A description of the type of store or operations of the retailer.
• A location of the retailer where industrial hemp will be offered for sale.

Requirements for registered growers and processors include:

A renewal application must be submitted at least 15 calendar days before the end of the applicant’s registration period.

Application process:

1. Submit a complete renewal application on a form prescribed by the division with all the required information and the non-refundable renewal application fee and registration fee.
2. If the application is approved, the registration is renewed for another year.

The application must include:

• The class of registration submitted for renewal.
• Details of any changes that have been made to the information submitted in the initial application for the registration, if applicable.

Alaska Hemp Industry Statistics

According to the Alaska Industrial Hemp Program Registrant List, in 2023 there were 215 registered hemp establishments in Alaska: 4 growers, 4 processors, and 207 retailers. As of November 2024, this fell only slightly to 170 active registered industrial hemp establishments: 1 grower, 1 processor and 168 retailers. As of April 2025, there were 148 registered hemp establishments, all of which are hemp retailers. This shows that Alaska’s hemp market is retail-driven. Several companies have already incorporated hemp products into their product range – Alaska Mill and Feed offers hemp bedding, topicals, and chews for animals while the Denali Hemp Company sells topicals containing hemp seed oil – demonstrating existing demand for various hemp products in the state.

While consumer demand for hemp-derived products persists, the lack of local growers and processors creates a compelling opportunity for new entrants.

Some industry experts state that Alaska has millions of acres appropriate for the cultivation of cold-tolerant hemp varieties that grow best during long daylight hours. Since hemp products intended for human or animal consumption with any detectable levels of delta-9 THC are banned in Alaska, this acts as a disincentive for participating in the floral/CBD hemp sector and encourages growers to look towards other uses such as fiber and grain.

Growing fiber could be particularly advantageous in Alaska as its climatic conditions share similar characteristics to the ones in South Dakota – the largest producer of hemp fiber in the U.S. – which are long daylight hours and lower summer temperatures than other southern states.

Grain, meanwhile, also has huge potential due to its application in the hemp-based foods market which is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years. Alaska’s suitability for hemp grain cultivation is demonstrated through the fact that it is part of USDA’s geographical Region 3 which accounted for 25% of the U.S. hemp grain acreage in 2023 – second highest after Region 4.

Alaska holds significant potential to not just be a market for retail, but also a source of high-quality, “Alaska Grown” industrial hemp. Realizing this vision requires investment into cultivation and processing facilities – transforming the state into a self-sufficient, value-adding producer.

Alaska Hemp Industry Infographics

Alaska Cannabis Market