Inspections and Sampling

All hemp producers are subject to a routine annual regulatory inspection to verify that hemp is not produced in violation of Montana’s State Hemp Program.  Producers are selected to be inspected and varieties or strains are sampled as outlined in Montana’s State Hemp Plan’s Performance-based Sampling Plan, Section 5.1, page 9.  All new producers will be inspected and all new varieties and strains sampled, regardless of Category.  All samples are property of the department and will be properly disposed of by the State’s testing laboratory according to laboratory procedures.

Harvest Notification

Each license holder is responsible for contacting the department a minimum of 30 days prior to harvest to confirm actual harvest date and schedule an inspection within 3-weeks pre-harvest.  The license holder may contact either the Helena office or their district field office.  The inspection date will be coordinated between the grower and the inspector, click the link below to see the contact list for all district inspectors.

All Category C strains must be inspected and sampled.  Only a percentage of Category A and B varieties require inspection, but the harvest date of all Lots must be confirmed; the inspector will determine which Category A and B Lots require sampling.  Crops harvested without notification, regardless of Category, are subject to destruction.

Fiber crop harvest dates must be reported within 30 days prior to harvest (i.e., cutting of the crop), just like any other hemp crop.  If a crop is confirmed to be a solely fiber crop, it may be allowed to be sampled within three weeks prior to baling as outlined within the Performance Based Sampling Plan of Montana’s State Hemp Plan.  Hemp fiber crops that fail verification, whether due to ineligibility of the crop or delayed verification request from the producer, must be sampled prior to harvest. 

Contact either your district hemp inspector or the Helena office to schedule your inspection a minimum of 30 days prior to harvest.

Inspection and Sampling Fees

Each license holder’s first inspection and sample testing fee is covered by the license application fee. A $250 testing fee will be required for each additional sample and an $250 inspection/sampling fee will be required for each additional inspection.

A license holder that requires multiple sampling events (due to extended or multiple harvest dates, lack of or incorrect harvest date reporting, or requests for subsequent Lot sampling) will be responsible for additional sampling/testing fees, regardless of the variety Category.