Washington state to make way for hemp this spring

Washington state lawmakers and the Department of Agriculture are working together to make the state laws Farm Bill-compliant.

A bill that allows hemp to be grown for CBD and moved across state lines was endorsed unanimously on Tuesday by the a House committee, the Capital Press reported.

The bill also would allow farmers to produce hemp within 4 miles of marijuana and to import hemp seed without permission from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

These changes would align the Washington’s hemp regulations with the 2018 Farm Bill.

Farmers’ hemp license costs could change under the new laws, as costs to operate the changes program would go up. Currently a one-year license to grow hemp costs $300.

The agriculture department estimated the state program under the new regulations would cost $206,300 annually.

The agency said it will wait on fee changes until the bill passes.