How to Start a Hemp Farm

Start a hemp farm by following these 10 steps:

1. Plan your Hemp Farm
2. Form your Hemp Farm into a Legal Entity
3. Register your Hemp Farm for Taxes
4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
5. Set up Accounting for your Hemp Farm
6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Hemp Farm
7. Get Hemp Farm Insurance
8. Define your Hemp Farm Brand
9. Create your Hemp Farm Website
10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your hemp farm . These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

• What will you name your business?
• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?
• How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a hemp farm ?

Hemp farming requires land. Buying farmland — along with farming and irrigation equipment — will require a sizable, upfront investment if you aren’t already farming. If you’re already a farmer, your initial costs will mostly focus on seed stock or clones for starting crops. You’ll also need to secure any required state and local licenses as well as insurance. Most costs associated with growing row crops, such as fertilizer and pest control, are already factored in for annual operating costs.

What are the ongoing expenses for a hemp farm ?

Most ongoing expenses include buying seed stock or clones as well as farming supplies, maintaining farm equipment and buildings, paying worker salaries, and purchasing individual and farm insurance.

Who is the target market?

Hemp farming has both commercial and retail markets to consider. As a textile product, hemp’s commercial market includes businesses looking to compete with various products they can now make with hemp. Plastics, paper, building products, and fabrics are all products challenged by hemp.

In the retail space, customers buying hemp products tend to be younger and more liberal-minded although hemp fabrics and cannabidiol (CBD) sales reach into a wide range of demographic markets. College-educated people aged 25 to 50 represent a core group of hemp customers.

How does a hemp farm make money?

Hemp farms make money from the sale of their bulk, dried hemp.

How much can you charge customers?

Hemp is sold as a commodity so the market dictates the price. Farmers can sell their hemp plants as the fiber, the seeds, or both — with each option priced accordingly. Although prices continue to increase, as a market average, beware of ballooning figures based on speculators. Some in the industry fear hemp’s meteoric rise in popularity may cause a bubble similar to what the technology industry experienced in the early 2000s. Current wholesale prices vary between raw and processed hemp products, ranging from $3 to $3,000 per XXX.

How much profit can a hemp farm make?

Farming is a tricky business. While farmers don’t often turn a huge profit, it’s possible to keep overhead costs low by handling as much of the work as possible with a small crew. Hemp farming has the potential for good profits, but you must temper your expectations with the knowledge that Mother Nature can sometimes be a fickle and difficult partner. Average hemp farming profits typically fall in the range of $200 to $250 per acre.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Currently, hemp farming is experiencing a popularity surge. Offer the general public a chance to see what you do in an effort to destigmatize this plant. Many people will enjoy guided tours and farm visits. You might even consider using your farm as a backdrop for photo shoots. Some individuals would love to be immortalized on film, surrounded by your leafy greens.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your hemp farm is sued.

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a Hemp Farm Business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

Is this Business Right For You?

Because hemp farming is, in essence, the same as cultivating other field crops, it’s a potential fit for individuals with experience farming and harvesting acres of crops. Many traditional produce and commodities (e.g., corn, soybean) farmers now include hemp in their crop rotations or transform entire fields for this industrious material. To prosper in this business, you’ll need a solid understanding of crop rotation, waiting and reutilizing strategies, pest prevention, and harvesting and baling.

What happens during a typical day at a hemp farm ?

Much like any farm, most days involve monitoring existing farm systems and equipment as well as your crops. Farming often involves waiting for certain times — both for planting and harvesting. With hemp, the growth cycle averages 110 days. Farmers can stagger or “cycle” their fields between planting, growing, and harvesting to generate a larger annual yield and a constant flow of work. After harvesting and baling their hemp, farmers ship it to manufacturing plants around the country. As such, some daily operations may include the logistics of shipping and receiving.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful hemp farm ?

Farming experience is a great start. Growing crops involves much more than soil, water, and sun. Experience in the tractor saddle really can give you an edge. Understanding the business world and, specifically, the hemp market, also will prove critical to success. 

While this industry is poised to explode in popularity and demand, the structure and legality of hemp products remain subject to sweeping changes. Understanding the political nature of this crop and how to navigate dissenting opinions of your industry also will be essential.

What is the growth potential for a hemp farm ?

With the legalization of hemp farming around the country, many textile and clothing manufacturers now recognize the benefits of hemp fibers. Hemp has been used for thousands of years in numerous products, such as fabrics and rope. Today, modern manufacturing also uses hemp fibers as a biodegradable plastic replacement. Of course, there is the ever-growing cod market, which has been embraced by numerous citizens from all walks of life as a pain reliever and beneficial dietary additive. Overall, industry experts project hemp farming will remain increasingly popular and profitable for the foreseeable future.