Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
House Bill 230, introduced in the Wyoming State Legislature in January and passed into law without Governor Matt Mead's signature earlier this year, could offer Wyoming the chance to grow industrial hemp for research purposes, joining 20 others states in the development of what was once a standard American crop. Although the law will become effective on July 1, 2018, the process may take years to implement.
Currently, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) is registering with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to import seeds for cultivation and testing, and does not expect to start issuing licenses to grow the crop until 2019. Furthermore, the state did not appropriate funding in the original bill to staff or purchase equipment for training and testing, which could push legal hemp farming back even further in the state.
Derek Grant, Public Information Officer with the WDA, says the state Technical Services Division is currently researching the laws and working with other states to develop Wyoming's licensing program. "Right now we are still focused on the rules, and it's hard to know when we will get the go-ahead from the DEA, but we anticipate having the licensing requirements established when the law goes into effect."
Grant also noted that when completed, the licensing requirements and rules for farming hemp will be released for public comment before finalization. Should the process go smoothly, hemp farming could become a reality before 2020.
"Our goal is 2019," said Grant, "and as soon as we can import seeds we will begin testing."
As defined by the bill, "Industrial hemp means all parts and varieties of the plant cannabis sativa, containing no more than three-tenths of one percent of (0.3%) of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)."
In accordance with Wyoming Statute 35-7-2103, industrial hemp is considered an agricultural crop in the state, and once state requirements are upheld, it is legal for a person to grow, harvest, possess, process and sell industrial hemp.
Under the bill, state licensing would be required to grow industrial hemp, after a criminal background check, fingerprint file, and licensing fees are approved by the state. Growers of the product (limited to an agriculture pilot program) would report to the state all buyers, and use only state-provided seeds, acquired from the state department of agriculture.
According to a report by the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 16 states have legalized industrial hemp production for commercial purposes. Twenty more states have passed laws allowing research and pilot programs. Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Virginia approved the creation of both research and commercial programs. California, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana and Virginia have established a framework for regulating commercial hemp , yet still consider hemp illegal outside of research programs unless federal law changes.
In 2015, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015, allowing American farmers to produce and cultivate industrial hemp. The bill, now on second reading, would remove hemp from the controlled substances list as long as it contained no more than 0.3 percent THC.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Industrial hemp on the horizon in Wyoming - Northern Wyoming Daily News
Author: Marcus Huff
Contact: Northern Wyoming Daily News - Contact Us
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Northern Wyoming Daily News Homepage
Currently, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) is registering with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to import seeds for cultivation and testing, and does not expect to start issuing licenses to grow the crop until 2019. Furthermore, the state did not appropriate funding in the original bill to staff or purchase equipment for training and testing, which could push legal hemp farming back even further in the state.
Derek Grant, Public Information Officer with the WDA, says the state Technical Services Division is currently researching the laws and working with other states to develop Wyoming's licensing program. "Right now we are still focused on the rules, and it's hard to know when we will get the go-ahead from the DEA, but we anticipate having the licensing requirements established when the law goes into effect."
Grant also noted that when completed, the licensing requirements and rules for farming hemp will be released for public comment before finalization. Should the process go smoothly, hemp farming could become a reality before 2020.
"Our goal is 2019," said Grant, "and as soon as we can import seeds we will begin testing."
As defined by the bill, "Industrial hemp means all parts and varieties of the plant cannabis sativa, containing no more than three-tenths of one percent of (0.3%) of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)."
In accordance with Wyoming Statute 35-7-2103, industrial hemp is considered an agricultural crop in the state, and once state requirements are upheld, it is legal for a person to grow, harvest, possess, process and sell industrial hemp.
Under the bill, state licensing would be required to grow industrial hemp, after a criminal background check, fingerprint file, and licensing fees are approved by the state. Growers of the product (limited to an agriculture pilot program) would report to the state all buyers, and use only state-provided seeds, acquired from the state department of agriculture.
According to a report by the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 16 states have legalized industrial hemp production for commercial purposes. Twenty more states have passed laws allowing research and pilot programs. Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Virginia approved the creation of both research and commercial programs. California, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana and Virginia have established a framework for regulating commercial hemp , yet still consider hemp illegal outside of research programs unless federal law changes.
In 2015, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015, allowing American farmers to produce and cultivate industrial hemp. The bill, now on second reading, would remove hemp from the controlled substances list as long as it contained no more than 0.3 percent THC.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Industrial hemp on the horizon in Wyoming - Northern Wyoming Daily News
Author: Marcus Huff
Contact: Northern Wyoming Daily News - Contact Us
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Northern Wyoming Daily News Homepage
