For Immediate Release
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
CONTACT:
Patrick Goggin 415-312-0084
Tom Murphy 207-542-4998
Adam Eidinger 202-744-2671
adam@votehemp.com
California Industrial Hemp
Farming Act
Passes Final Senate Vote
Groundbreaking Bill Expected
to Go to Governor’s Desk
SACRAMENTO, CA —
AB
1147, The California Industrial Hemp Farming Act,
passed in the Senate today by a vote of 26-13. The bill
now heads to the Assembly for a final concurrence vote
and will then be sent to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's
desk for his signature. Since passing out of the Assembly
in January of this year, AB 1147 has gained momentum
as legislators learned that California businesses spend
millions of dollars each year importing hemp from Canada,
China and Europe. Demand for hemp products such as clothing,
food, body care, paper and even auto parts has been
growing rapidly in recent years, with the U.S. hemp
market now exceeding an estimated $270 million in annual
retail sales. The new law would give farmers the ability
to legally supply U.S. manufacturers with hemp seed,
oil and fiber and would not weaken anti-drug laws.
"We thank legislators from both parties
that listened to the facts about industrial hemp and
made an historic decision to bring back the crop,"
says Vote Hemp President Eric Steenstra. "Passage
in the California Legislature is a major accomplishment
for the authors and sponsors of the bill, as well as
for thousands of environmentally-conscious voters, farmers
and businesses that wrote California legislators,"
says Steenstra.
The California Industrial Hemp Farming
Act was introduced in February of 2005 by Democratic
Assemblyman Mark
Leno. This year, the bill was amended, and Republican
Assemblyman Chuck
Devore joined as co-author. In the bipartisan spirit
of the legislation, the bill was managed on the floor
of the Senate by Republican Tom
McClintock and received support from Senator Able
Maldonado, a farmer and Republican member of the
Agriculture Committee. Another influential Republican
Senator who supported the bill was Sam
Aanestad, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations
Committee.
AB 1147 has been carefully crafted to
comply with federal law and minimize impact to law enforcement.
It includes tough regulations without placing an undue
burden on farmers. The bill permits cultivation of only
ultra-low-THC industrial hemp grown as an agricultural
field crop or in a research setting. Backyard or horticultural
cultivation is prohibited. Any clandestine grove of
Cannabis will be considered a controlled substance
regardless of its THC content.
California's AB 1147 has already passed
a series of committee votes and a floor vote in the
Assembly. The final passage in the Assembly is expected
by the end of August. Vote Hemp believes the new law
would withstand federal scrutiny in the form of legal
challenges and ultimately will result in commercial
hemp farming in California. No industrial hemp is grown
in the United States today, even though seven
states have passed hemp farming and research bills
in recent years. More details on industrial hemp legislation
can be found at www.VoteHemp.com.
Final passage of AB 1147 could revitalize commercial
industrial hemp farming, which occurred in California
until shortly after World War II. "It appears the
hemp seed and oil we currently import soon will be grown
and produced right here in California," says David
Bronner, Chair of the Hemp Industries Association's
(HIA)
Food and Oil Committee and President of ALPSNACK/Dr.
Bronner's Magic Soaps. "The HIA's member companies
are urging Governor Schwarzenegger to promote sustainable
growth for the California economy by signing the industrial
hemp bill. Increasing double-digit sales growth over
the last few years in the hemp food and body care sectors
indicates strong consumer demand for hemp products that
will sustain high prices for farmers for years to come,"
he adds.
More information about industrial hemp
legislation and the crop's many uses may be found at
www.VoteHemp.com
and www.HempIndustries.org.
BETA SP or DVD Video News Release featuring footage
of hemp farming in other countries is available upon
request by contacting Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671.
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