On March 26, 2014, Governor Mike Pence signed the “Industrial Hemp” bill into law, IC 15-15-13, authorizing the Office of Indiana State Chemist & Seed Commissioner to obtain the necessary permits and authorizations for and production and regulation of industrial hemp in Indiana.

Senate Bill 516 was signed into law as presented to Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb on May 2, 2019. The bill enables parties with a license from the State Seed Commissioner to grow and handle industrial hemp in the state. It also establishes the Indiana Hemp Advisory Committee, which will advise the Office of the State Seed Commissioner on Indiana’s hemp laws.

The Vote Hemp reported that 5 acres of hemp were grown in Indiana in 2018 and in 2017.

In 2019, the Office of the Indiana State Chemist granted 140 licenses to grow about 5,300 acres of industrial hemp in the state with 35% focused on growing hemp flower for CBD production.

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the Indiana State Hemp Plan for commercially growing and processing hemp. For 2020, 192 licenses have been approved for farmers to grow hemp in Indiana that total 6,000 acres.

In the 2021 season OISC issued 79 licenses, including 44 growers, 21 handlers and 14 grower/handlers. 1,945 acres of outdoor sites and 181,688 square feet of indoor sites were licensed.

Indiana Hemp Industry Infographics