Board of Butler County Commissioners held a work session, in which Dana Ladner with Kansas Dept of Agriculture spoke before the Commission to discuss industrial hemp rules and regulations and how the legality of hemp farming affects Butler County.
On February 8, applications went live with a short window to apply for the “pilot research program.” March 1st is the deadline for applications, with a fee of $200 due. Once accepted into the program, there is an annual licensing fee which varies by type. The license fee for a Grower is $1000; Distributor is $2000; Processor is $3000. Licensees will also be subject to sampling, testing, and modification fees. Commissioner Myers asked if everyone licensed through this program is designated as doing research. Ms. Ladner confirmed that then-Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. signed Senate Bill 263 (now K.S.A. 2-3901 et seq.) in April 2018, which enacted the Alternative Crop Research Act allowing the Kansas Department of Agriculute to oversee the cultivation of industrial hemp in a research program. She also stated, they currently have “no clue” as to the economic impact on Kansas, as an end product is needed.
With a growing season of approximately four (4) months for a crop that is proven to be drought resistant, reports on the economic impact could be available after only one growing year. Per acre, it produces four times as much paper as trees, which take many years to reach maturity for harvest.
(Read more: El Dorado Times)