Re-Establishing Industrial Hemp Farming in Georgia 2
History of Hemp in America
Hemp, a variety of the cannabis sativa plant, has been used by mankind for thousands of years. It was a valuable commodity during the American Colonial period and continued well into the 20th century. Hemp was used for its fiber for paper, clothing, ropes, and other textiles. Seed oil was being used for lubrication and as a natural Diesel fuel and thousands of other products. Cultivation of hemp began to increase in 1934 and 1935 but production remained at very low volume compared with other fibers. But with the invention of processing equipment, hemp production was on the verge of becoming a major industrial crop until the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. The Act was eventually ruled unconstitutional in 1970 and was replaced with the Controlled Substances Act.
The politics of hemp prohibition is well documented and involved such American icons as William Randolph Hearst and the DuPont Family. Their alleged motives to restrict hemp production were to protect the emerging synthetic fiber and pulpwood industries. Hemp was viewed as a threat and competition to these products. “Hemp” became “marijuana” and hateful, racial and derogatory testimony was used to scare Congress into passing the tax act.
By the 1940’s, America was engaged in a World War and with fibers in short supply,,once again America relied upon hemp production for ropes, webbing and cloth. A call for a new hemp seed crop was documented in the 1942 US Department of Agriculture’s classic film – “Hemp for Victory!”
Today, hemp products are popular and in demand. From bio-mass fuels to oil, fashion apparel, building materials, car parts and food products, hemp is being utilized for thousands products. While hemp can only be grown for experimental purposes in the US, tons of the raw and finished products are being imported from other countries around the world. It is estimated more than $800 million of hemp is being imported in the US from other nations.
In 2014 the Federal Agricultural Act (Farm Bill) included a provision allowing states to cultivate a low THC strain (0.30%) for research purposes. States such as Colorado, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee (27 states) have enacted state laws in compliance with the federal rules for the industrial hemp experimental crop program . These states will be the leaders in hemp production and research and potentially the grounds of a new billion dollar crop.
Georgia can be the next state to get on board and begin the research necessary to determine the best use of hemp and what products can be produced from this valuable commodity.
Georgia House Bill 704 was introduced in the 2015 legislative session to enact legislation establishing an experimental hemp research program, following in the footstep of twenty seven (27) states that have such legislation.
Enacting Legislation in Compliance with Federal Rules
The Agriculture Act of 2014 Congress established specific rules for states to follow. (*1)
(1) the industrial hemp is grown or cultivated for purposes of research conducted under an agricultural pilot program or other agricultural or academic research; and
(2) the growing or cultivating of industrial hemp is allowed under the laws of the State in which such institution of higher education or State department of agriculture is located and such research occurs.
The program would have oversight by the state Department of Agriculture with the assistance of the university system.
With the approval of the federal government, few obstacles remain in the way of the advancing research and development of an industrial hemp industry. New legislation could potentially lead to a new billion dollar crop for the farmers of Georgia.
Hemp Cultivation will create new industries, new jobs, new products, and create a new source of revenue.
(*1) U.S. House Report 113-333 – AGRICULTURAL ACT OF 2014
SEC. 7606. LEGITIMACY OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP RESEARCH.
(a) In General- Notwithstanding the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), chapter 81 of title 41, United States Code, or any other Federal law, an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or a State department of agriculture may grow or cultivate industrial hemp if–
(1) the industrial hemp is grown or cultivated for purposes of research conducted under an agricultural pilot program or other agricultural or academic research; and
(2) the growing or cultivating of industrial hemp is allowed under the laws of the State in which such institution of higher education or State department of agriculture is located and such research occurs.
(b) Definitions- In this section:
(1) AGRICULTURAL PILOT PROGRAM- The term `agricultural pilot program’ means a pilot program to study the growth, cultivation, or marketing of industrial hemp–
(A) in States that permit the growth or cultivation of industrial hemp under the laws of the State; and
(B) in a manner that–
(i) ensures that only institutions of higher education and State departments of agriculture are used to grow or cultivate industrial hemp;
(ii) requires that sites used for growing or cultivating industrial hemp in a State be certified by, and registered with, the State department of agriculture; and
(iii) authorizes State departments of agriculture to promulgate regulations to carry out the pilot program in the States in accordance with the purposes of this section.
(2) INDUSTRIAL HEMP- The term `industrial hemp’ means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of such plant, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.
(3) STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE- The term `State department of agriculture’ means the agency, commission, or department of a State government responsible for agriculture within the State.
