Senate Resolution No. 5501

BY: Senator O'MARA

RECOGNIZING Hemp History Week, June 4-10, 2018

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to recognize Hemp
History Week, June 4-10, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Hemp History Week, June 4-10, 2018, is an industry-wide
initiative of the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) and Vote Hemp; and

WHEREAS, The HIA is a nonprofit trade group representing hemp
companies, researchers, farmers and supporters; and

WHEREAS, Vote Hemp is a national, single-issue, non-profit advocacy
group founded in 2000 by members of the hemp industry to remove barriers
to industrial hemp farming in the United States through education,
legislation and advocacy; and

WHEREAS, A bi-partisan effort has taken place at both the federal
and state levels to pass legislation which would allow American farmers
to compete with foreign nations in hemp production; and

WHEREAS, Industrial hemp refers to the non-drug oilseed and fiber
varieties of the genus Cannabis which have less than three-tenths of one
percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and are cultivated for products
derived from whole stalk, seed, and roots, including fiber, food, oil,
and extracts; and

WHEREAS, The flowering tops of industrial hemp cannot produce any
drug or intoxicating effect when inhaled or ingested; and

WHEREAS, The bill signed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
(A9140/S7047-2014) defines industrial hemp as an agricultural product
for the purposes of research pilot programs, in accordance with the
language passed in the federal farm bill (Sec. 7606 of H.R. 2642;
codified in 7 U.S.C. 5940), which legitimized state industrial hemp
agricultural pilot research programs; and

WHEREAS, The 2016 New York State budget included provisions to allow
for the growth, sale, distribution, transportation and processing of
industrial hemp on an unlimited basis; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Agriculture and Markets formed the
Industrial Hemp Work Group which includes academic partners, industry
members, and State officials in an effort to advise the State on
policies and initiatives that will help grow the industry; and

WHEREAS, Governor Cuomo convened the first Hemp Summit at Cornell
University in 2017 where farmers, researchers, industry leaders, and
State officials convened to explore new opportunities through industrial
hemp research in New York State; and

WHEREAS, The New York State Legislature passed legislation in 2017
to allow that industrial hemp be considered an agricultural product and

that it be treated the same way as other crops and seed in New York
State; and

WHEREAS, Each year, American companies are forced to import millions
of dollars' worth of hemp seed and fiber products annually from China,
Canada, Europe, and other countries; and

WHEREAS, Nutritious hemp foods can be found in grocery stores
nationwide and strong durable hemp fibers can be found in the interior
parts of millions of American cars; and

WHEREAS, In addition, retail sales of hemp products nationwide in
2016 were estimated to be over $688 million annually, and numerous
buildings are being constructed using a long-lasting, energy-saving hemp
and lime mixture which acts to sequester carbon; and

WHEREAS, The reluctance to permit industrial hemp farming is denying
agricultural producers in this country the ability to benefit from an
important crop which can provide significant economic benefits to
producers and manufacturers; and

WHEREAS, The US relied upon hemp from the Mayflower to the U.S.S.
Constitution and through every world war; and

WHEREAS, This great Empire State is poised to be a leader in hemp
production, processing and manufacturing by the actions of the New York
State Legislature; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize Hemp History Week, June 4-10, 2018.