Industrial Hemp Gets OK From House Agriculture Committee

Although there are thousands of products made with hemp for sale in Minnesota, the plant cannot be legally grown in the state. HF683 seeks to change that, and the bill took its first step on that journey Wednesday when it was approved without opposition by the House Agriculture Policy Committee. Sponsored by Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria), HF683 would make industrial hemp a legal agricultural crop if planted, grown and harvested in accordance with state law. It also would make possession of industrial hemp legal if produced by a licensed grower, and the legislation directs the state to regulate it in the same way plants and nursery stock are currently regulated. Franson said hemp “is one of the most historically versatile agricultural crops” but also “one of the most historically maligned.” She said it is unfairly confused with marijuana, which she opposes, and that during World War II, Minnesota was one of the largest domestic producers of industrial hemp. “We’ve lost a great deal of time and economic opportunity on hemp due to confusion, disinformation and confounding public policy,” Franson said. “This bill seeks to develop, on a very small scale, the foundations and information necessary in developing new opportunities and applications for hemp in Minnesota, benefitting our state and rural economies.” HF683 now moves to the House Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee. The companion, SF618, is sponsored by Sen. Kent Eken (DFL- Twin Valley) and awaits action by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Franson said section 7606 of the federal farm bill, passed in 2014, forms the basis for her legislation. HF683 would also authorize the Department of Agriculture, along with higher education institutions, to study the benefits and opportunities industrial hemp may provide. Hemp seeds and oil can be used to make a variety of products, from fabrics and foods to fuels and paper. Industrial hemp is different from marijuana because it contains much less THC – the chemical producing the “high.” It is grown in Canada and China, but must currently be imported to the United States. Franson said hemp is the only agricultural commodity restricted to “import only” status. The bill received support from the Minnesota Farm Bureau, which submitted a letter to the committee, and from the Minnesota Famers Union. Thom Peterson, director of government relations for the union, said his organization “strongly supports” HF683 and said other states such as Kentucky, Colorado and Washington are already moving forward on the issue. Rep. Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake) asked Franson about the regulation component and what would happen if someone grew hemp without first obtaining a license. Franson said a person growing industrial hemp without a license would be guilty of a misdemeanor. She also said someone growing marijuana would not try to hide it in with industrial hemp because it would endanger the crop. Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Mpls), a co-sponsor of the bill, said one of the first marijuana crops planted in Colorado after the state legalized production was ruined because of its proximity to industrial hemp and a million dollars was lost. “What that does is ruin both crops,” Kahn said. Story By Jonathan Mohr, House Information Services