RD394 - Annual Report on the Status and Progress of the Industrial Hemp Research Program – November 1, 2017


Executive Summary:
The 2015 Session of the Virginia General Assembly enacted the Industrial Hemp Law (Law) (Va. Code § 3.2-4112 et seq.), which authorizes the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to establish and oversee an industrial hemp research program that will be directly managed by public institutions of higher education. In 2017, the four public universities with VDACS-approved industrial hemp research programs planted a total of approximately 78 acres in industrial hemp. To facilitate the universities’ research projects, VDACS imported two varieties of industrial hemp planting seed, distributed approximately 314 pounds of planting seed to two of the universities, and issued Industrial Hemp Grower licenses to 34 individuals.