Hemp Alerts & Happenings

A quarterly newsletter brought to you by the Colorado Department of Agriculture
March 2023
Upcoming Hemp Events

Join us for a virtual HAC meeting:
Tuesday, March 14 from 1pm to 3pm

Topics:
  • CDA Hemp Program Updates
  • Hemp regulatory issues for federal considerations
  • Hemp marketing and processing updates
  • CDA’s Farm to Market Grants

9th Annual NOCO Hemp Expo: March 29-31 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
  • Brian Koontz, Hemp Program Manager at The Colorado Department of Agriculture, will provide a program update on March 31.

April Hemp Symposium: April 18 from 1-2:30pm. More information to come.

For more information about public meetings, including the ZOOM link and the agenda, please visit CDA’s Hemp Program Events website page.
Hemp Online Portal (HOP) Has Increased Functionality
With HOP's increased functionality we've made it easier for registrants to:
  • Better ease of applying for a hemp registration
  • Enter planting and harvest reports
  • Pay inspection fees
  • View THC data
  • Get notification of compliant hemp
  • Receive reminder emails
  • And much more!

If you do not have an account in HOP, you need to create an account. The application process will be faster online than with a paper application. 
Colorado Hemp Networking Directory

The Hemp Networking Directory is where Colorado growers, manufacturers, processors, and consumers connect in support of a strong future in our hemp industry.

Would you like to have your business listed? Add your information to the directory today!
Funding Opportunities
Climate Smart Commodities Grant: CDA is recruiting organizations to help us implement the STAR/soil health program. Any local organization, commodity group, etc, can apply. Selected organizations will get $20K in capacity funding to help enroll farmers in the soil health program. Refer to the Saving Tomorrow's Agricultural Resources (STAR) program for more information.

CDA Loan Program: The Colorado Agricultural Future Loan program is open and is accepting applications. The program aims to serve farmers, ranchers, and food processors with good businesses but who may have difficulty meeting conventional loan criteria (credit score, collateral, operating history).
Please contact Brian Coppom, Colorado Agricultural Future Loan Program Manager,
at brian.coppom@state.co.us or (720)347-8095 for more details.
Hemp Program Reminders
Hemp Plant
Mandatory Hemp Background Checks:
As of January 2022, all Key Participants identified in an application need to complete criminal history background checks. This means you need to PLAN AHEAD and allow for time during the application process to be fingerprinted. Visit the Hemp Background Check Information page for more information.

Authorized Samplers Needed:
  • Collect hemp regulatory samples from hemp registrants prior to harvest and post-remediated samples, if applicable.
  • Negotiate a sampling fee* with the registrants.
  • Deliver samples to a certified private lab*.
*Registrants are required to pay all costs associated with sampling and lab fees.
For more information, please visit the Authorized Hemp Sampler page.

Create a Farm Record!
It is now a federal statute to create an FSA “lot” number and report your hemp plantings to CDA as well as FSA. More details on acreage reporting can be found here.


305 Interlocken Parkway
Broomfield, CO 80021
303-869-9050