The New York State Senate

K1273

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the United State Congress to recognize
industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity and to pass the
Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which would permanently legalize hemp, remov-
ing it from the purview of the Controlled Substances Act and establish-
ing it as an agricultural commodity

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to urge the US
Congress to recognize industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commod-
ity and to pass the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 (S.2667/H.R. 5485); 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, as defined in New York State law, means the
plant Cannabis Sativa L. and any part of the plant with less than three-
tenths of one percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); and
WHEREAS, Industrial hemp plants are cultivated for products derived
from the whole stalk, seeds, and roots, including fiber, food, oil, and
extracts; and
WHEREAS, Section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, the federal
Farm Bill, and the federal Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2016, author-
ized state industrial hemp agricultural pilot research programs and the
activities associated with such programs; and
WHEREAS, The New York State legislature and Governor enacted Chapter
524 of the Laws of 2014, Chapter 256 of the Laws of 2016, and Chapters
58 and 88 of the Laws of 2017 which collectively define industrial hemp
as an agricultural product, establish industrial hemp research pilot
programs, provide for technical assistance and regulation by the State,
and authorize the growth, sale, distribution, transportation and proc-
essing of industrial hemp and products derived from hemp as part of the
research program authorized in accordance with federal law; and
WHEREAS, The State, through the Department of Agriculture and Markets
and Empire State Development Corporation, farmers, researchers, and
industry leaders, have worked together over the past four years to
explore opportunities in hemp production and products and invest in
making New York State's hemp industry a national leader so it will be
poised to take advantage of the potential $1 billion national market for
growing, producing, processing and selling hemp and hemp products; 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 nation-
wide and strong durable hemp fibers can be found in the interior parts
of millions of American cars and numerous buildings are being
constructed using a long-lasting, energy-saving hemp and lime concrete
mixture which acts to sequester carbon; and
WHEREAS, Uncertainty about federal laws inhibit investment in the
United States and New York hemp industry by agricultural producers
manufacturers, processors and other businesses; and
WHEREAS, The US relied upon hemp from the Mayflower to the U.S.S.
Constitution and through every world war; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States be and hereby is
respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to recognize indus-
trial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity; to pass the Hemp Farm-
ing Act of 2018; to permanently legalize hemp, removing it from the
purview of the Controlled Substances Act and establishing it as an agri-
cultural commodity; to acknowledge that allowing and encouraging farmers
to produce industrial hemp will improve the balance of trade by promot-

ing domestic sources of industrial hemp; and to assist United States
producers by removing barriers to State regulation of the commercial
production of industrial hemp; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the President of the Senate of the United States, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the Congressional
Delegation from the State of New York.