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Dear Reader,
Growth of the hemp market is fueling the
legislative and economic energy that has been
evident in 2009. After years of enduring
artificial obstacles by the federal
government and antiquated laws, the U.S. hemp
industry had been stunted and relegated to a
small part of the natural products industry.
The market, however, is about to explode into
a new era for industrial hemp and the natural
products industry as a whole. The "green
economy" is no longer a radical threat, but a
viable alternative which is finally being
supported by a U.S. President.
Hemp businesses are becoming a driving force
behind the passage of legislation on the
state level. During the 2009 legislative
session, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and
North Dakota all passed resolutions or
memorials urging Congress to allow states to
regulate hemp farming, while Maine and Oregon
(still to be signed by the Governor) passed
laws allowing hemp production. Sixteen states
have passed pro-hemp legislation to date, and
nine states (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine,
Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon,
Vermont and West Virginia) have removed
barriers to its production or research. North
Dakota has even issued state licenses to
would-be hemp farmers for two years running.
Please visit Vote Hemp's Legislation
page to learn about the phenomenal rise
in hemp legislation this year alone.
Now that we have successful business owners
providing testimony in favor of hemp bills
and resolutions, legislators are taking
notice and lending their support as a result.
We hope to be able to take this success on
the state level and make it something that
our representatives in Congress can not ignore.
Vote Hemp supporters will be lobbying in
Washington, DC the day after the HIA
Convention in October, which takes place
directly after the Green Festival. New this
year at the Green Festival will be the HIA
Hemp Pavilion, which will be appearing at
both the DC and San Francisco events.
Please make a donation to the Vote Hemp General
Fund or Farmer
Fund today to help us continue to build
on our successes this year and bring hemp
farming back to its rightful place in America.
Best Regards,
Tom Murphy
National Outreach Coordinator
Vote Hemp
| Vote Hemp PR - Oregon Passes Hemp Bill |
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SALEM, OR, June 29 — Today, by a
vote of 46 to 11, the Oregon House passed SB
676, a bill that permits production and
possession of industrial hemp and trade in
industrial hemp commodities and products. "I
am glad that Oregon has joined the list of
states that have agreed that American farmers
should have the right to re-introduce
industrial hemp as an agricultural crop,"
says SB 676 sponsor, Sen. Floyd Prozanski.
"By passing SB 676 with strong bi-partisan
support, the Oregon Legislature has taken a
proactive position to allow its farmers the
right to grow industrial hemp, to provide
American manufacturers with
domestically-grown hemp, and to profit from
that effort." The Oregon Senate passed the
bill by an overwhelming majority vote of 27
to 2 on June 19. Vote Hemp is optimistic that
Governor Kulongoski will sign the bill.
Oregon would become the ninth state to
authorize regulated hemp farming under state law.
"The time has come for the federal government
to act and allow farmers to once again grow
hemp, so American companies will no longer
need to import it and American farmers will
no longer be denied a profitable new crop,"
comments Vote Hemp President, Eric Steenstra.
"Under current federal policy, industrial
hemp can be imported, but it cannot be grown
by American farmers. Hemp is a versatile,
environmentally-friendly crop that has not
been grown in the U.S. for over fifty years
because of a misguided and politicized
interpretation of the nation's drug laws by
the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
While a new bill in Congress, HR 1866, is a
welcome step, the hemp industry is hopeful
that President Obama's administration will
recognize hemp's myriad benefits to farmers,
businesses and the environment," adds Steenstra.
Many businesses in Oregon manufacture, market
and sell hemp products, including Living
Harvest, The Merry Hempsters, Wilderness
Poets, Earthbound Creations, Sweetgrass
Natural Fibers, Sympatico Clothing, Mama's
Herbal Soaps and Hempire. Living Harvest of
Portland was recently ranked the
third-fastest-growing company in Oregon, as
awarded by The Portland Business Journal's
"Fastest-Growing Private 100 Companies"
annual award.
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| Maine |
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Maine had a hemp farming bill introduced on
3/25/09.
An Act Relating to Industrial Hemp. This bill
allows a person to grow industrial hemp if
that person holds a license issued by the
Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural
Resources and the hemp is grown under a
federal permit in compliance with the
conditions of that permit.
On June 9, with little fanfare, Maine
Governor John Baldacci signed the Maine hemp
farming bill, LD 1159, into law. Maine's
House had previously passed the bill without
objection, and the Senate later passed it by
a strong vote of 25 to 10.
The bill establishes a licensing regime for
farming industrial hemp, although the
licensing is contingent upon action by the
federal government. Maine had previously
passed a study bill that also defined
industrial hemp.
Residents of Maine, please write to Your
Representative and ask them to become a
co-sponsor of HR 1866.
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| Montana |
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Montana had a resolution, SJ 20, introduced
on 2/7/09.
Resolution urging Congress to legalize
industrial hemp. Introduced, first reading
and referred to Senate Agriculture, Livestock
and Irrigation Committee on 2/7/09. Committee
hearing held on 2/17/09. Third reading and
passed the Senate by a vote of 48 to 1 on
2/23/09. Transmitted to the House on 2/23/09.
Referred to House Agriculture Committee on
2/24/09. Committee hearing held on 3/17/2009.
Third reading and passed the House by a vote
of 89 to 11 on 4/02/09. Signed by Senate
President on 4/3/09. Signed by House Speaker
on 4/6/09. Filed with the Secretary of State
on 4/6/09.
Montana residents, please write to Rep. Denny
Rehberg and ask him to become a co-sponsor of
HR 1866.
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| New Mexico |
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New Mexico had a pair of hemp farming bills,
HB 403 and SB 377, introduced on 1/28/09 and
1/29/09, and a pair of hemp study memorials,
HM 47 and SM 30, introduced on 2/16/09 and
2/19/09. The pair of hemp study memorials
replaced the hemp farming bills, both of
which passed.
HM 47 is a memorial requesting the New Mexico
Department of Agriculture to investigate the
feasibility of state incentives for
commercialization of industrial hemp and that
Congress be requested to acknowledge the
difference between marijuana and industrial
hemp and to clearly legalize the commercial
production of industrial hemp. Companion bill
to SM 30. Introduced 2/19/09. Passed the
House by a vote of 44-23 on the 32nd
Legislative Day. Signed on the 33rd
Legislative Day.
SM 30 is a memorial requesting the New Mexico
Department of Agriculture to investigate the
feasibility of state incentives for
commercialization of industrial hemp and that
Congress be requested to acknowledge the
difference between marijuana and industrial
hemp and to clearly legalize the commercial
production of industrial hemp. Companion bill
to HM 47. Introduced 2/16/09. Passed the
Senate by a vote of 25-12 and Signed on the
47nd Legislative Day.
Residents of New Mexico, please write to Your
Representative and ask them to become a
co-sponsor of HR 1866.
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| North Dakota |
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There were two new bills, HB 1549 and HCR
3026, in North Dakota this year. One is a
bill to amend and re-enact section 4-41-02 of
the North Dakota Century Code, relating to
industrial hemp. The other is a concurrent
resolution urging the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) to allow North Dakota to
regulate industrial hemp farming.
A bill for an Act to amend and reenact
section 4-41-02 of the North Dakota Century
Code, relating to industrial hemp. Introduced
on 1/19/09. House: Second reading, passed,
yeas 88 nays 4 on 2/6/09. Senate: Second
reading, passed as amended, yeas 40 nays 1 on
3/6/09. House: Second reading passed, yeas 89
nays 3, Senate amendment Concurred on
4/16/09. Signed by Governor on 4/24/09. Filed
with Secretary of State on 4/29/09.
HCR 3026, a concurrent resolution urging the
DEA to allow North Dakota to regulate
industrial hemp farming without requiring
federal applications, licenses or fees.
Introduced in the House on 1/29/09. Referred
to the House Agriculture Committee. Adopted
by the House on 2/19/09. Adopted by the
Senate on 3/24/09. Returned to the House on
3/25/09. Signed by the Senate President on
4/1/09. Filed with the Secretary of State on
4/7/09.
North Dakotans, please write to Rep. Earl
Pomeroy and ask him to become a co-sponsor of
HR 1866.
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| Oregon |
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Oregon had a hemp farming bill, SB 676,
introduced on 3/3/09.
Permits production and possession of
industrial hemp and trade in industrial hemp
commodities and products. Introduction and
first reading. Referred to President's desk
on 3/3/09. Referred to Senate Environment and
Natural Resources committee on 3/9/09. Public
Hearing held on 3/26/09. Click
here to listen to the Public Hearing for
SB 676 (mp3 audio 54:40, 49 MB). Work Session
held on 4/14/09 and 4/21/09. Recommendation:
Do Pass with amendments (Printed A-Eng).
Passed the Senate by a vote of 27 to 2 on
6/19/09. Passed the House by a vote of 46 to
11 on 6/29/09. Vote Hemp is optimistic that
Governor Kulongoski will sign the bill.
Residents of Oregon, please write to Your
Representative and ask them to become a
co-sponsor of HR 1866.
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| Vermont |
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Vermont had a resolution, JRS 26, introduced
on 3/27/09.
A joint resolution in support of Act 212 of
2008. The General Assembly urges Congress to
Recognize industrial hemp as a valuable
agricultural commodity and that the United
States Drug Enforcement Administration allow
the states to regulate industrial hemp
farming without federal applications,
licenses or fees. Senate: Read first time &
placed on action calendar per Rule 51 on
3/27/09. Adopted on the part of the Senate on
4/14/09. House: Rules Suspended and Taken up
for Immediate Consideration, Read second
time, proposed amendment agreed to, the
resolution was read the third time and passed
in concurrence with proposal of amendment on
5/4/09. Senate: House proposal of amendment
concurred in on 5/6/09.
Residents of Vermont, please write to Rep.
Peter Welch and ask him to become a
co-sponsor of HR 1866.
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Current Action Alerts |
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Nationwide: Click
here to write your Congressional
representative and ask him/her to become a
co-sponsor of HR 1866, the Industrial Hemp
Farming Act of 2009. If he/she is a
co-sponsor already, you will be able to thank
them.
The following states have passed hemp farming
bills and/or resolutions or memorials urging
Congress to allow states to regulate hemp
farming. Please use the links below to write
to your Congressional representative if you
are from these states.
Maine: Click
here to write to Your Representative and
ask them to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.
Montana: Click
here to write to Rep. Denny Rehberg and
ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.
New Mexico: Click
here to write to Your Representative and
ask them to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.
North Dakota: Click
here to write to Rep. Earl Pomeroy and
ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.
Oregon: Click
here to write to Your Representative and
ask them to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.
Vermont: Click
here to write to Rep. Peter Welch and ask
him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.
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