On May 10, 2019, Georgia became the 42nd state to legalize hemp farming when Governor Brian Kemp signed a bill to provide for licensing and permit requirements for hemp growers and hemp processors.

Processors who want to work with hemp must pay a $25,000 annual license fee, the license to grow hemp costs $50 per acre annually with a maximum of $5,000.

The Department of Agriculture can randomly test hemp at the fields and greenhouses of all licensees:

• If a test sample reveals a delta-9-THC concentration of more than 0.33% on a dry weight basis, the licensee’s entire crop with the same global positioning coordinates shall be destroyed in compliance with regulations promulgated by the department.
• If a test sample reveals a delta-9-THC concentration of more than 0.3% but not more than 0.33% on a dry weight basis, the licensee’s crop shall be retested and if upon such retesting, the delta-9-THC concentration exceeds 0.3%, the entire crop with the same global positioning coordinates shall be destroyed in compliance with regulations promulgated by the department.

In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the state’s hemp plan.

In 2020, 145 licenses were issued with about 1,450 acres intended for hemp production and 186 greenhouses, and there were 16 permitted hemp processors. In 2021, 156 hemp grower and 6 hemp processor licenses were approved.

Georgia had 118 licensed hemp producers and one permitted hemp processor in 2022, equating to 4,333 field acres and 730,322 greenhouse square footage licensed for cultivation.

In 2023, 111 producers were licensed to grow hemp in the state of Georgia, according to the latest USDA data.

Georgia Hemp Industry Infographics

Georgia Cannabis Market