On June 4, the Michigan Senate voted 32-0 to repeal the state's industrial hemp grower program and leave hemp regulation to USDA

On June 4, 2026, the Michigan Senate passed Senate Bills 608 and 609 by votes of 32-0, with six senators excused, according to the Michigan Legislature's bill records. Together, the bills would effectively repeal the state's Industrial Hemp Growers Act, which created Michigan's Industrial Hemp Program in 2020, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency.

Senate Bill 608, sponsored by Sen. Dan Lauwers, would repeal all but one section of the act. Senate Bill 609, sponsored by Sen. John Cherry, would abolish the program's Industrial Hemp Fund on Oct. 1, 2027, and move any unencumbered balance to the Agriculture Licensing and Inspection Fees Fund. The bills would take effect Feb. 1, 2027, the analysis said.

The program is administered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). According to the analysis, testimony before the Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee indicated there are now fewer than 30 registered hemp growers in the state, and some believe the state's fees discourage farmers from growing hemp. The act sets a $1,250 registration fee, and the analysis said it has been suggested that hemp regulation shift from the state to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which does not charge for registration.

The Senate Fiscal Agency said MDARD reports the fund's projected balance as of Oct. 1, 2026, will be $868,000, and that the state agency would no longer bear the cost of hemp grower regulation. SB 609 would also exempt information that former applicants or participants submitted to MDARD from the Freedom of Information Act, except for disclosure of personal information to law enforcement.

Later developments: Both bills were received by the Michigan House on June 4 and referred to the House Committee on Regulatory Reform. As of Oct. 17, the Legislature's records list no further action on either bill.

This report is not legal advice.