Kansas lawmakers are no longer considering a bill to legalize hemp in animal feed, but a state hemp processor said it still sees growing consensus on reduced hemp licensing fees as a win.
The replacement House Bill 2168 would reduce hemp licensing fees from more than US$1,000, to a maximum of US$500 per year. It replaces a bill introduced in 2023 that would have legalized hemp in animal feed but, unlike that proposal, has proven less controversial among Kansas lawmakers, said Sarah Stephens, CEO of hemp processor Midwest Hemp Technology from Augusta, Kansas.
The bill passed the Kansas House of Representatives 105-6 on February 14 and advances to the Senate for consideration.
The bill may not contain everything the Kansas hemp industry would like to see, Stephens said, but he sees the growing consensus around licensing fees as a positive sign. The current fee schedule would cost him $1,300 to $1,400 per year — more than twice the cap proposed by HB2168.
“This is my sixth year to get a license, so I’ve spent a lot of money on licensing,” Stephens said.
Stephens also noted that, under HB2168, Kansas would adopt federal rules regarding feeding hemp to livestock. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is expected to vote on an application to allow hemp seed meal in layer diets next year; AAFCO members are expected to approve the application.
If the vote goes as expected, sales of hemp seed meal to poultry producers could begin shortly thereafter, with lower registration fees for hemp producers likely to begin as early as 2025.
“The pending application is a big domino, and I think it’s going to open up all kinds of animal feed avenues when that happens,” Stephens said.
“Last year, we didn’t see any progress, so this feels like progress and it feels like the (Kansas Department of Agriculture) is telling the industry that we want this to work,” Stephens continued. “And farmers need to hear that from regulators to see this as a viable crop.”
