Program History
The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) established an Industrial Hemp research and development program following passage of the 2014 Farm Bill. In 2015, the Nevada Legislature passed State Senate Bill 305 to initiate state authority under Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) for the registration, compliance and enforcement for growing hemp and producing seed. Registered growers were approved to begin production in 2016 through codified NRS 557. Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) 557 was established and approved in 2016, with hemp production licenses issued in 2017. In response to program requirements detailed in the 2018 farm bill, 2019 Senate Bill (SB) 347 was established to revise NRS 557. In light of the 2018 Farm Bill, the number of NDA hemp certificate holders and applied hemp production acreage increased from 115 certified hemp growers with an applied 1,880.06 acres in 2018 to 216 certified hemp growers with an applied 14,112.66 acres in 2019.
On Oct. 31, 2019 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Interim Final Rules which clarified the role of State and Tribal programs in the regulatory oversight of hemp production in the U.S. All hemp was required to be produced via registration with a USDA approved State or Tribal program. The USDA released the Final Rules on Jan. 19, 2021. The Final Rules addressed industry concerns with the Interim Final Rules.
All states and Tribes interested in maintaining regulatory authority were required to submit a hemp program plan to the USDA for review. In 2020, the NDA submitted Nevada’s state hemp plan to the USDA on four different occasions to participate in discussion and revision. The Nevada State Hemp Plan was approved on May 28, 2021.
The Nevada Hemp Production Table below reflects the number of certificates issued as well as the certified acres and square footage throughout each production year.
| State of Nevada Statistics |
Acres |
Sq.Ft. |
| 2016 Applied Area= |
319.28 |
400.00 |
| 2016 Planted Area= |
229.78 |
400.00 |
| 2016 Certified Growers= |
11 |
|
| 2017 Applied Area= |
490.20 |
17,170.00 |
| 2017 Planted Area= |
434.50 |
17,170.00 |
| 2017 Certified Growers= |
26 |
|
| 2018 Applied Area= |
1,880.06 |
235,688.00 |
| 2018 Planted Area= |
1,128.00 |
141,413.00 |
| 2018 Certified Growers= |
115 |
|
| 2019 Applied Area= |
14,693.86 |
1,623,022.00 |
| 2019 Certified Area= |
14,223.66 |
1,607,942.00 |
| 2019 Planted Area= |
4,917.54 |
266,668.00 |
| 2019 Certified Growers= |
213 |
|
| 2020 Applied Area= |
5,022.56 |
975,801.00 |
| 2020 Certified Area= |
3,874.80 |
789,623.00 |
| 2020 Planted Area= |
1,625.62 |
284,830.00 |
| 2020 Certified Growers= |
116 |
|
| 2021 Applied Area= |
2,871.42 |
543,202.00 |
| 2021 Certified Area= |
2,843.42 |
496,542.00 |
| 2021 Planted Area= |
445.85 |
188,852.00 |
| 2021 Certified Growers= |
61 |
|
| **2022 Applied Area= |
245.62 |
462,036.00 |
| **2022 Certified Area= |
27.20 |
119,892.00 |
| **2022 Planted Area= |
N/A |
N/A |
| **2022 Certified Growers= |
13 |
|
**2022 data current as of 4/4/2022.
*Planted area is approximate
based upon grower-submitted harvest reports and inspector observations during
field inspections.
Application and Certification
NRS 557 grants the NDA authority to require hemp grower, seed producer, and handler applications to be submitted to the department for approval. Applications are recorded as digital files and will be retained for no less than three years per CFR Sec.297B(a)(2)(A)(i). Per NRS 557.200(4) “A person who wishes to register with the Department as a grower, handler or producer must submit to the Department the fee established pursuant to subsection 8 and an application, on a form prescribed by the Department, which includes:
(a) The name and address of the applicant;
(b) The name and address of the applicant’s business in which hemp or agricultural hemp seed will be grown, handled or produced, if different than that of the applicant;
(c) Information concerning the land and crop management practices of the applicant; and
(d) Such other information as the Department may require by regulation.”
Application Processing Time
Application processing can take three to four weeks. New applications are posted in November for the following year.
Certification Period
All NDA hemp certificates expire December 31 each year regardless of the date it was issued. Hemp growers who will have a cross-over crop into the following year must submit an application for renewal prior to the expiration of their active certificate.
NDA Responsibilities
- Issue licensure to qualifying program applicants
- Conduct compliance testing on all hemp fields to ensure crops contain total potential THC content within federal guidelines
- Issue documents (Reports of Analysis) ensuring legitimacy of product and compliance of participants
- Act as a liaison to the industry and support the continued growth of Nevada’s hemp industry
Maximum/Minimum Production Size
The NDA has not implemented any area restrictions related to hemp. The applicant can apply to produce as much or as little hemp as they desire so long as their property is appropriately zoned for agricultural production.