The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) hosted an online forum this week for current or aspiring industrial hemp producers, along with industry stakeholders. The event, numbering well over 200 people, demonstrated the progress that MDA has made in developing their program. 

The delayed implementation of the USDA hemp production rules has created a great deal of confusion.  Grower misinformation is rampant, and there’s no mystery to this, given the complex rule set and shifting policy nuances that can have outsized results for growers.   This is a benefit of these forums, getting everyone on the same page. 

Grower frustration was evident, with increased fees, and what some characterized as heavy-handed oversight.  This is where some growers complained that hemp producers in other states like Kentucky do not contend with such onerous rules.  Implementation of USDA regulations coast to coast will do a great deal to allay the…