15.02.10 Public Hearing to Promote and Cultivate Hemp
Public Hearing on LD 4 An Act to Promote Industrial Hemp and LD 119 An Act to Allow for the Cultivation of Hemp was held before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry was held in the Cross State Office Building on February 10, 2015.
LD 4, introduced by Representative Deborah J. Sanderson, mends previous hemp legislation to promote commercial industrial hemp farming by removing fingerprinting procedure, repeals provision that licensure is contingent on the Federal Government and requires that hemp seed come from an approved Canadian producer. Application and licensing fees will be established by substantive rules.
LD 119, introduced by Senator David Miramant, removes the requirement for certain federal action before a license for industrial hemp cultivation may be issued.
Supporters included State Rep Diane Russell, Jon Olson of the Maine Farm Bureau, Rebecca and Glenn Lane of Canna CleanTech Industries, Heather Spalding of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Hillary Lister, former State Rep Ralph Coffman and Ann Gibbs of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Robert Cullen Stuart of Business Alliance for the Cultivation of Hemp, sensing the success of the two bills, testified neither for nor against, but used the opportunity to rail against federal sovereignty over local control.
“It’s a wonderful product that can have a multitude of uses,” Leif Erickson with the Maine Hemp Industries Association trade group told members of the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.
Read MoreLD 4, introduced by Representative Deborah J. Sanderson, mends previous hemp legislation to promote commercial industrial hemp farming by removing fingerprinting procedure, repeals provision that licensure is contingent on the Federal Government and requires that hemp seed come from an approved Canadian producer. Application and licensing fees will be established by substantive rules.
LD 119, introduced by Senator David Miramant, removes the requirement for certain federal action before a license for industrial hemp cultivation may be issued.
Supporters included State Rep Diane Russell, Jon Olson of the Maine Farm Bureau, Rebecca and Glenn Lane of Canna CleanTech Industries, Heather Spalding of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Hillary Lister, former State Rep Ralph Coffman and Ann Gibbs of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Robert Cullen Stuart of Business Alliance for the Cultivation of Hemp, sensing the success of the two bills, testified neither for nor against, but used the opportunity to rail against federal sovereignty over local control.
“It’s a wonderful product that can have a multitude of uses,” Leif Erickson with the Maine Hemp Industries Association trade group told members of the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.
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