Arkansas Hemp Program

After almost eight decades of prohibition, hemp farming in Arkansas is reclaiming its place in the state’s agricultural landscape, although hemp continues to be confused with its “cousin” marijuana. Although the hemp industry is in a state of transition, expanding market opportunities and ongoing regulatory advancements have shown that hemp has the potential to become a valuable part of the state’s agricultural economy.

Hemp and marijuana are the same species of plant, Cannabis sativa L., with the only determining factor between the two types of plants being the percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contained within that plant. According to state and federal laws, if the plant is under 0.3 percent total THC, it is legally considered hemp, while if the plant is over this amount, it is legally considered marijuana.

Before 2014, growing hemp was federally prohibited in the United States, as it was legally classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance alongside marijuana. This changed on February 7, 2014, when a national farm bill was signed into law, effectively allowing states to establish their own pilot research programs to explore the feasibility of hemp farming.

In 2017, the Arkansas General Assembly introduced HB 1778, which was signed into law as Act 981, or “The Arkansas Industrial Hemp Act of 2017.” This aligned state law with the 2014 farm bill, enabling Arkansas to create a hemp research pilot program under the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. The Arkansas State Plant Board approved final rules for the program in June 2018, leading to the state’s first year of legal hemp production in 2019. Since then, hemp production has moved from an initial research pilot program to a commercial production program. Arkansas played a role in shaping national hemp regulation, developing a state model that was later emulated at the federal level when the U.S. Department of Agriculture formalized national hemp production rules in March 2021.

Growers began working toward establishing stable and profitable markets for this newly reintroduced crop in the United States. While initial interest in Arkansas was largely driven by the potential for cannabinoid extraction oils (primarily cannabidiol, or CBD), Arkansas farmers and agricultural leaders began exploring broader uses for the plant. Hemp grain is a valuable source of nutrition, offering a rich balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as being a good source for protein, fiber, and other vitamins and nutrients. As regulations began to catch up with other agricultural industries, new markets emerged.

Licensing remains a critical component of hemp production in Arkansas. Farmers and processors/handlers must adhere to rules relating to site verification and THC testing of all plots grown in Arkansas to comply with state and federal regulations. The Arkansas Hemp Program distinguishes between growers, who cultivate and harvest hemp, and processors or handlers, who refine raw material into usable products or temporarily store crop materials (such as in a laboratory). These regulatory measures are intended to provide oversight and stability for an industry still finding its footing as it integrates into existing agricultural systems.

Arkansas farmers cultivate hemp for various purposes, including grain, fiber, and floral material. While the floral market, used for cannabinoid extraction, initially dominated the industry, interest began growing in fiber and grain production as longer-term opportunities. In researching hemp production, farmers began different varieties to investigate which varieties behave best in Arkansas’s environment. Fiber hemp has potential applications in textiles, bioplastics, and construction materials, while grain hemp can be used in food products, oils, and animal nutrition. The expansion of these markets is a gradual process that depends on regulatory adaptation, infrastructure development, and consumer demand.

The number of licensed participants in the Arkansas Hemp Program has fluctuated over the years. The program saw strong initial enrollment, with 125 hemp growers in 2019 and 121 hemp growers licensed in 2020. However, as market conditions shifted, participation slowly declined, and by 2025, the program was averaging around fifteen growers every season. This trend is not unique to Arkansas but reflects a national adjustment in the industry as supply and demand balance out. Those who continue to cultivate hemp in the state are working to refine production methods, establish secure processing channels, and develop market stability.

Hemp farming in Arkansas is widespread, with a notable concentration of growers in northwestern Arkansas. While growers initially envisioned northwestern Arkansas focusing on floral production and the Delta region in eastern Arkansas focusing on grain/seed or fiber production, this expectation was not reflected in practice. Instead, hemp farmers are distributed across the state.

For additional information:
Arkansas Hemp Program. Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Plant Industries Division. https://agriculture.arkansas.gov/plant-industries/feed-and-fertilizer-section/hemp-home/ (accessed May 30, 2025).

Hemp Production. U.S. Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/hemp (accessed May 30, 2025).

National Hemp Association. https://nationalhempassociation.org/ (accessed May 30, 2025).

Tănase Apetroaei, Virginia, Eugenia Mihaela Pricop, Daniela Ionela Istrati, and Camelia Vizireanu. “Hemp Seeds (Cannabis sativa L.) as a Valuable Source of Natural Ingredients for Functional Foods—A Review.” Molecules 29, no. 9 (May 1, 2024): 2097. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38731588/ (accessed May 30, 2025).

Caleb Allen
Arkansas Department of Agriculture