The government is set to make it easier for farmers to grow hemp to help boost the sector and 'maximise its economic potential'.
Reforms to current hemp licence regulations will be introduced, making it easier for regulated farmers to grow the crop.
This change should come into effect for the 2025 growing season, the government confirmed today (7 November).
'Hemp' is a variety of cannabis with 'low-THC' levels, which is currently defined as a maximum of 0.2%.
The plant is grown for strictly lawful purposes, such as for use in the construction and textiles industries, and only farmers with a licence are allowed to plant it.
The government has agreed to several reforms, which it says were developed in collaboration with growers, to the licensing system which aims to boost the industry.
Under the changes, farmers will now be able to grow hemp anywhere on a licensed farm, reducing the red tape for those who currently have to set out the exact field where they will grow the plants within a farm.
And ahead of the 2026 growing season, two further changes to the regulations are planned, the government explained.
The first will see an extension of the maximum period for a licence from 3 to 6 years, subject to compliance with the licence terms.
The second change will allow those applying for a licence to defer its start date by up to one year.
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said that the changes to the licensing regime for industrial hemp were a 'positive step' for farmers.
"Recognising that industrial hemp is a field-grown agricultural crop, these reforms will simplify the license application process," he explained.
"They will provide greater flexibility within the crop rotation, enabling farmers to fully realise the economic and environmental benefits of the crop."
The number of hemp licences has grown from six in 2013 to 136 hemp licences in 2023. A first-time licence costs £580.
