ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will host three listening sessions around the state to gather input on Minnesota’s Industrial Hemp Program.
Currently, the MDA is drafting a state plan to submit to USDA to manage hemp regulations in Minnesota. The department is also beginning expedited rulemaking that will outline specifics of the state’s hemp program, including licensing and testing requirements.
For southwest Minnesota, the session will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 21 in Room 201 of the Hubbard Building/Strategic Partnerships Center, 424 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato.
The meeting will allow growers, processors, consumers and others interested in hemp and hemp products to share their vision for this new commodity.
“We are actively reviewing the rules USDA recently released,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We want to ensure our state plan and upcoming rules work for those in the industry, and we welcome input during this process. It’s important to lay a good foundation to ensure this new industry is successful into the future.”
