BILL NUMBER: S6326

SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to allowing
certain commercial feed to include hemp seed

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to allow for the inclusion of seeds
including seed hulls and seed meal from industrial hemp plants in
commercial feed solely for pets, specialty pets, horses, and camelids.
This legislation would not authorize such inclusion in commercial feed
for other livestock.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends subdivision 7 of section 128 of the agriculture and
markets law to provide for the inclusion of hemp seed, including seed
hulls and seed meal, for use in feed for a pet, specialty pet, horse, or
camelid.
              

Section 2: Establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Industrial hemp produces a wide range of useful materials, including
building materials, fibers that can be woven into clothing, chaff for
animal bedding, and seeds that are available on grocery store shelves in
items Ifice granola, snack bars, and cookies. Industrial hemp is feder-
ally approved for each of these uses. This bill would authorize the use
of hemp seeds for certain types of animal feed in New York.

Industrial hemp differs from hemp grown for cannabinoid extraction.  CBD
and THC occur in the flower of cannabinoid hemp, and this flower is
neither produced nor harvested from industrial hemp crop. Only the seeds
of the industrial hemp plant, including shell casings and seed meal
resulting from processing hemp hearts for human consumption, would be
authorized for use in animal feed. Studies indicate that industrial hemp
seed provides a high protein, high fiber ingredient for animal consump-
tion. Other states, including Montana and Pennsylvania, have already
passed similar legislation.

Industrial hemp farmers from across the State, along with the National
Hemp Association, support this approach as an industry-sustaining meas-
ure. Protecting industrial hemp production in New York will encourage
greater production and research into the myriad uses of this plant,
including as a renewable building material. It will also open the door
for small, New York-based animal food processors to establish this
marketplace before hemp seeds are authorized far use in commercial feed
nationally.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is new legislation.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

This legislation could result in increased tax revenue due to increased
sales of New York hemp seed product and commercial feed.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.