No Wyoming hemp cultivation in 2019, but THC testing close, governor says

Though Wyoming farmers can’t yet grow hemp, the state says its lab to test the crop for THC is almost ready.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon and the state Department of Agriculture sent an update this week to would-be hemp farmers reminding them that production remains illegal until federal agriculture authorities set national rules, then approve Wyoming’s hemp plan.

In March, Gordon signed the first state-level hemp law since passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.

Gordon says he has been asked to issue an executive order to legalize immediate hemp production and possession in the state. But he said such an order would still not be federally approved, which could lead to issues with law enforcement and load seizures.

Meanwhile, the state has bought equipment for THC testing, which it expects to have ready by next month in anticipation of federal hemp rules for the 2020 planting season.