http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/28/5777538/governor-brown-signs-california.html
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept 28, 2013 --
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Vote Hemp and the Hemp Industries
Association (HIA), the nation's leading hemp grassroots advocacy
organization and industry trade group, respectively, each working to
revitalize industrial hemp production and processing in the U.S., are
excited to report that Governor Jerry Brown has signed SB 566, the
California Industrial Hemp Farming Act. After moving smoothly through
the
California legislature with strong bi-partisan support, this landmark legislation has now become California law.
Introduced
by Senator Mark Leno earlier this year, SB 566 ensures that California
is prepared to begin registering hemp farmers once the federal
government has given states the green light. The California Industrial
Hemp Farming Act will establish a framework for farming the oilseed and
fiber varieties of the plant, which are used in a myriad of everyday
consumer products,
including food, body care, clothing, paper, auto parts, composites,
building materials, and bio-fuels. Enforcement and oversight of hemp
production would be conducted in concert with the
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and county agricultural commissioners, as is done with other crops.
"SB
566 demonstrates the real momentum behind the national movement to
legalize industrial hemp," said Eric Steenstra, Executive Director of
the Hemp Industries Association. "With Congressional bills to legalize
hemp currently in both the House and Senate, California is on the
cutting edge, pushing forward with an industrial hemp law that would not
only stimulate much needed growth in local business and farming
sectors, but ultimately lead the nation toward a federal policy change
that would open hemp cultivation to hemp farmers around the country.
This will lower our dependence on Canada and China for hemp imports, and
empower our agrarian and manufacturing economies to finally tap into
one of the fastest growing natural products in the market."
"With the signing of this bill, California is poised to grow
industrial hemp when the federal government gives states the green
light," said Senator Leno, D-San Francisco. "In the past year, the
conversation to legalize the cultivation of hemp has gained momentum at
the federal level, and it is only a matter of time before a farmer's
right to grow hemp is restored. Hemp, which is already found in hundreds
of consumer products manufactured in our state, is a perfect crop for
California. It has great potential to revitalize
family farms, create new jobs and stimulate the economy."
Strong
support for the bill has come from The California Sheriffs Association,
individual county sheriffs, family and organic farmers, environmental
organizations,
labor unions,
and businesses statewide. 2 Vote Hemp and HIA believe that hemp farming
registrations could be accepted as soon as 2014 based on the recent
memo from Deputy Attorney General James Cole of the
Department of Justice.
"Before farmers can begin planting hemp under SB 566, the state will
need to seek clarification from federal officials that state regulations
for hemp farming meet the requirements outlined in the recent memo
issued by Deputy Attorney General James Cole," notes Vote Hemp Director
Patrick Goggin.
Today, more than 30 industrialized nations grow
industrial hemp and export it to the United States. Hemp is the only
crop that is illegal to grow at the federal level, yet is legal for
Americans to import. Among the numerous California-based companies who
have supported the bill are Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, makers of North
America's top-selling natural soap, and Nutiva, a rising star among
innovative health food companies. Both of these businesses currently
must import hemp from other countries. The passage of SB 566 sends a
strong message to Washington that the time has come to change federal
policy regarding industrial hemp.
"Hemp grown right here in
California would stimulate massive growth in the food, body care,
textiles, building and other crucial sectors that suffer from having to
import less efficient materials in lieu of this lucrative industrial
crop," says David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. "The
nationwide movement to legalize industrial hemp and farm it right here
in the US to benefit American business is growing, and SB 566 opens a
door to incredible opportunity for farmers who seek sustainable
agriculture, ecologically responsible businesses and products.
Ultimately, this bill will help end the prohibition on what is one of
the most versatile and environmentally revolutionary industrial crops on
the planet."
"Nutiva looks forward to buying hemp from American
farmers," says John Roulac, President of Nutiva. "This will add American
jobs and reduce our
fuel consumption."
California
businesses currently spend millions of dollars each year importing hemp
primarily from Canada, China, and Europe. Demand for hemp products has
been growing rapidly in recent years, and it is estimated that the U.S.
hemp market now exceeds $500 million in annual retail sales. From
natural soaps to healthy foods, there are a large variety of "Made in
California" hemp products whose manufacturers and buyers will greatly
benefit from an in-state source of hemp seed, fiber, and oil.
The
environmental and agricultural benefits are not limited to the
versatility of uses. Industrial hemp is an excellent rotation crop
because its dense growth smothers weeds without herbicides and helps to
break the disease cycle. Hemp requires less water and agricultural
inputs than other crops, has deep tap roots that leave the soil in
excellent condition for the next crop, and is proven to increase yields.
These benefits save farmers money and reduce the amount of pesticides,
herbicides and
chemical fertilizers that run into our waterways.
Vote Hemp is a national, single‐issue, non‐profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of and a free market for low‐
THC industrial hemp and to changes in current law to allow U.S. farmers
to once again grow this agricultural crop. More information about hemp
legislation and the crop's many uses may be found at www.VoteHemp.com or www.TheHIA.org. Video footage of hemp farming in other countries is available upon request by contacting Ryan Fletcher at 202-641-0277 or ryan@votehemp.com.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/28/5777538/governor-brown-signs-california.html#storylink=cpy
