Wisconsin Hemp Industry

Gov. Scott Walker signed a law allowing hemp production at the end of November 2017, and within four months, the state began accepting applications for the 2018 growing season. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection regulates industrial hemp cultivation and processing. The state requires separate licenses for cultivation and processing hemp. Each license costs $100-$350 per registration plus $150-$1,000 one-time fee for a grower license. Sampling/testing costs $250 per sample and test. Licensed growers and processors are required to submit reports to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

In 2018, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, 183 growers planted hemp on 1,850 acres and 82 processors registered to convert the crop, mainly into CBD oil.

In 2019, over 1,250 growers were licensed to grow 16,100 acres of hemp with about 5,000 of those acres were planted, and the agency has issued 560 processor licenses.

As of July 2020, the agency received 1,510 applications for hemp grower licenses with 1,255 licenses were issued, and 705 application for hemp processor licenses with 570 licenses issued. In 2020, 11,625 acres were planted.