VermontVermont law shifts hemp oversight and sets annual licensing rules
The Cannabis Control Board oversees hemp businesses, which need annual licenses and fees, and certain shipments of unregistered products can bring penalties.
What it does
The Cannabis Control Board oversees hemp growing, processing, products, and enforcement. Producers, processors, and some hemp products need annual licenses and pay fees.
The Farm-to-School Program may award contracts as well as grants, giving it another way to support work with farms and schools.
A working group makes recommendations about permits for large livestock operations. The Secretary must hire a consultant to provide permitting training only if money is set aside for fiscal year 2027.
The Vermont Economic Development Authority directly administers the state's agricultural credit program after the agricultural credit corporation is dissolved. The program itself does not substantively change.
Argument forFarm-to-school groups could use contracts as well as grants, giving the program another way to work with farms and schools.
Argument againstAnnual licenses and fees could add costs for hemp businesses, while shipping certain unregistered products could bring civil or criminal penalties.
More detail
The Cannabis Control Board oversees hemp growing, processing, products, and enforcement. This covers hemp growing and processing, hemp products, and enforcement. The Board requires annual licenses and fees for hemp producers, processors, and certain hemp products. A person who causes unregistered hemp or cannabis products to be shipped to anyone other than a licensed cannabis lab in Vermont could face civil and criminal penalties. The law has several effective dates starting June 18, 2026. The summary does not give the specific start date for these rules.
The Farm-to-School Program may award contracts as well as grants. This concerns awards through the Farm-to-School Program. The law has several effective dates starting June 18, 2026. The summary does not give the specific start date for this provision.
A working group makes recommendations about permits for concentrated animal feeding operations. The working group concerns permits for concentrated animal feeding operations, or large livestock operations. The Secretary of Natural Resources must hire an outside consultant to train people on permitting only if money is appropriated for fiscal year 2027. The training requirement depends on an appropriation for fiscal year 2027. The law has several effective dates starting June 18, 2026, but the summary does not give the specific date for these provisions.
The Vermont Economic Development Authority directly administers the Vermont Agricultural Credit Program. This concerns the Vermont Agricultural Credit Program and the corporation that previously administered it. The staff summary says the credit program itself does not substantively change. The law has several effective dates starting June 18, 2026. The summary does not give the specific start date for this administrative change.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 29Senate Message: Signed by Governor Phil Scott June 18, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 18, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 12, 2026To Governor
- May 28Senate Message: House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 28Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 28As passed by Senate and HouseMajor
- May 28House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 28House proposal of amendment; textMinor
- May 28House proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 27House proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 27Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 26House message: House passed bill in concurrence with proposal(s) of amendment
- May 22Rules suspended and bill messaged forthwith to the Senate as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 22Read third time and passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 22Rules suspended and bill placed in all remaining stages of passage as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 22Third Reading orderedMinor
- May 22Report of Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry, as amended, agreed to
- May 22Report of the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry, as amended, amended as recommended by the Committee on Appropriations
- May 22Report of Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry amended as recommended by Committee on Ways and Means
- May 22Rep. Stevens of Waterbury recommended for the Committee on Appropriations
- May 22Rep. Kimbell of Woodstock recommended for the Committee on Ways and Means
- May 22Rep. Nelson of Derby reported for the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry
- May 22Read second timeMinor
- May 22Rules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 22Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- May 13Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)
- May 13Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- May 8Referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a)
- May 8Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 31Read first time and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and ForestryMinor
- Mar 26Read 3rd time & passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 26Senator Vyhovsky requested & granted leave to withdraw amendment
- Mar 26Pending third reading, motion to amend bill offered by Senator(s) VyhovskyMinor
- Mar 26New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 253rd reading ordered
- Mar 25Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Agriculture, as amended, agreed to
- Mar 25Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Agriculture amended as recommended by Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 25Second division of amendment agreed to.
- Mar 25First division of amendment agreed to.
- Mar 25Recommendation of amendment of the Committee on Finance divided on request of Sen. Beck, First and Second instances taken together, Third instance taken separately
- Mar 25Reported favorably by Senator Watson for Committee on Appropriations with recommendation of amendmentMinor
- Mar 25Reported favorably by Senator Beck for Committee on Finance with recommendation of amendmentMinor
- Mar 25Reported favorably by Senator Ingalls for Committee on Agriculture with recommendation of amendmentMinor
- Mar 25Read 2nd timeMinor
- Mar 25Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 25Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 25Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AgricultureMinor
- Mar 25Committee Bill for Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 24Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 24Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 24Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AgricultureMinor
- Mar 24Committee Bill for Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 24Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 20Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31
- Mar 20Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 20Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AgricultureMinor
- Mar 20Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 17Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31
- Mar 17Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AgricultureMinor
- Mar 17Committee Bill for Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 17Entered on Notice Calendar
- Jan 30Committed to Committee on Agriculture on motion of Senator Ingalls
- Jan 30Committee Bill for Second ReadingMinor
- Jan 30Entered on Notice Calendar
- Jan 29Committee bill read first time & placed on Notice Calendar per Senate Rule 48Introduced
AgricultureCriminal Justice