As required by state law, New Mexico Department of Agriculture issues licenses to businesses/individuals cultivating hemp. The New Mexico Environment Department issues licenses to businesses/individuals for processing activities following harvest, including extraction, distillation, and manufacturing. A brief summary of each license and document issued by New Mexico Department of Agriculture follows:

• 2025 Continuous Hemp Commercial Research Production License: Primarily indoor production where hemp plants are maintained throughout the year.
• 2025 Annual Hemp Commercial Research Production License: Field production for annual hemp crops.
• 2025 Special Hemp Breeding License Application: For qualified plant breeders that will be breeding new or improved varieties of hemp and may possess viable plants or plant material in excess of 0.3% and less than 5.0% total THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol +THCA). 
• 2025 Nursery Plant License: Required by state law for any business selling live plants, including hemp.
• 2025 Harvest Notification Document: Submitted no less than 30 days prior to estimated harvest date. Allows department staff time to schedule for sampling.

Additional forms:

• Continuous Additional Growing Area form: Must be completed and included with your Continuous Hemp Production application if you are applying to license more than one growing area.
• Annual Additional Growing Area form: Must be completed and included with your Annual Hemp Production application if you are applying to license more than one growing area.
• 2025 Hemp Cultivation Landowner Affidavit form: Must be completed and included with your Annual or Continuous Hemp Production application if the licensee does not own the property where hemp production is located. 

Understand that a valid license is proof that you have registered with the state as a hemp producer with the intent of producing hemp. This license  is required by law enforcement if you have viable hemp plants or a grower in possession of raw hemp.

If you have a special need and require one of the above licenses, please contact us. Questions regarding hemp and nursery applications and licenses can be addressed at hemp@nmda.nmsu.edu or by calling (575) 646-3207.