Iowa’s Hemp Law
Effective January 1, 2025, the license to grow hemp in Iowa will move from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to the USDA . Iowa’s licensing program for hemp cultivation will cease on December 31, 2024. Do not renew your hemp license through the online Iowa portal.
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services will continue to regulate the manufacture and sale of consumable hemp products.
Hemp Resources
Hemp Seed Dealers, effective July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 | July 29, 2024
Hemp Licensees, effective through December 31, 2024 | July 29, 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What pesticides are approved for use on hemp crops in Iowa?
A. Since Dec. 19, 2019, the EPA has approved 49 pesticides for use on hemp. Registrants or manufacturers of the pesticides approved by the EPA must update labels and register the products for use and distribution in Iowa. To request information on current pesticides approved for use in Iowa, contact the Pesticide Bureau at 515-281-8591, or check the IDALS’ Pesticide Products Database (https://iowaagriculture.gov/pesticide-bureau/pesticide-products).
Q. Are there training and licensing requirements for pesticides applied to hemp?
A. If you apply restricted-use pesticides (RUPs) or are hired to apply pesticides to hemp, you must follow the state of Iowa's licensing and certification requirements. If you have employees and you use pesticides in hemp production, the Worker Protection Standard applies and includes training, notification, personal protective equipment, access to pesticide labeling and other requirements. Visit the Pesticide Bureau's Applicator Licensing & Certification page for more information.
Q. Can I apply a pre-plant herbicide prior to planting hemp?
A. In April 2023, the EPA registered ethalfluralin for the control of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds; however there remain few herbicides labeled for pre-plant use in hemp. This is subject to change, as per EPA approval of pesticides. For more information on pesticide products and registration, see the Pesticide Bureau's product list page or call 515-281-8591.
Q. How do the herbicides I applied in the previous one, or two, growing seasons impact acres I may wish to plant to hemp this year and future years?
A. You are required to follow the herbicide label, the label is the law. Because hemp has only recently become a legal commodity crop, herbicide labels do not include rotation/plant-back restrictions for hemp. Hemp would fall under the category of “other crop” and many of those re-plant/plant-back restrictions are for several months — some longer than a year. The herbicides you choose to apply in previous year may preclude you from growing hemp on those acres in 2021 — and possibly beyond — depending on what the label states.
Q. Can I include hemp products in animal feed?
A. The 2018 Farm Bill did not override the FDA's regulatory authority to approve the use of hemp and hemp products in animal feed.
Q. Do I need an Iowa Agriculture and Vegetable Seed Permit to sell hemp?
A. Yes. All agricultural seed sold and distributed in Iowa requires an Iowa Agricultural and Vegetable Seed Permit.
Partner Resources
- AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Guidelines on Hemp in Animal Food (updated July 16, 2020)
- Hemp and Hemp Byproducts in Animal Food - AAFCO Position and Call to Action (9/2021)
- Joint Open Letter of Concern over the Allowance of Hemp in Animal Feed (AAFCO) (2-9-2022)
- How to Read a Label on a Bag of Hemp Seed | ASTA (American Seed Trade Association)
- Laws, Regulations and Other Considerations When Buying Hemp Seed | ASTA (American Seed Trade Association)
- Best Management Practices for Hemp Seed Production | ASTA (American Seed Trade Association)