For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 16, 2005

CONTACT: Adam Eidinger 202-744-2671

First Federal Industrial Hemp Bill to Be
Introduced in Congress June 23rd
Capitol Hill Event to Feature Rep. Ron Paul, Ralph Nader, North Dakota Ag Commissioner, Leading Hemp Businesses and Gourmet Hemp Cuisine

WASHINGTON, DC — On June 23, Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) will introduce the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, a bill that would allow states to regulate industrial hemp while freeing farmers from federal restrictions on this versatile and profitable crop. Coinciding with the bill’s introduction, Vote Hemp and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps will be sponsoring a luncheon and presentation in the Gold Room (2168 Rayburn) from 12:00 noon to 1:30pm. Accredited members of the media are invited to attend. Please RSVP to adam@mintwood.com or call 202-744-2671.

WHO: Vote Hemp and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, featuring food from Galaxy Global Eatery of NYC; Representative Ron Paul (R-TX); Ralph Nader, Consumer Advocate; Roger Johnson, North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner; David Monson, North Dakota State Representative; Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp; Denis Cicero, Author, Chef and Owner of Galaxy Global Eatery, New York City

WHAT: Presentation and hemp luncheon to introduce the Industrial Hemp Farming Act

WHERE: The Gold Room (2168 Rayburn House Office Building), Washington, DC

WHEN: Thursday, June 23, from 12:00 noon until 1:30pm

U.S. companies that manufacture or sell products made with hemp include Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, the number-one-selling natural soap, Interface, the world's largest manufacturer of commercial carpet and carpet tiles, FlexForm Technologies, an Indiana company whose natural fiber materials are found in 1.5 million cars, Alterna, a professional hair care company whose hemp products are beloved by Julia Roberts and other celebrities, and adidas USA which has been selling hemp sneakers since 1995. Although hemp grows wild across the U.S., a vestige of centuries of hemp farming, the hemp for these products must be imported.

There is widespread support among national organizations for a change in the federal government’s position on hemp. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) “supports revisions to the federal rules and regulations authorizing commercial production of industrial hemp.” The National Grange “supports research, production, processing and marketing of industrial hemp as a viable agricultural activity.”

Numerous individual states have also expressed interest in industrial hemp. Twenty-six states have introduced hemp legislation and six (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia) have removed barriers to its production or research. Rep. Paul’s bill would allow laws in these states regulating the growing and processing of industrial hemp to take effect.

For more information on industrial hemp, please visit www.VoteHemp.com, the Web site of Vote Hemp, a non-profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of industrial hemp.

END