Posted September 18, 2013
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer hopes
Kentucky farmers plant hemp in April, saying that a recent announcement by the
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) gives his state the “green light,” according
to WTVQ article, available here.
The Courier-Journal
reports that the Kentucky Hemp Commission will seek revisions to the
state’s new hemp law next year and will also seek input from the federal
government. The commission and Senator
Rand Paul (R-KY) will send a letter to federal officials notifying them of
Kentucky’s plan to begin regulating and growing the crop. According to a BG Daily News article
available here,
the letter will allow the Justice Department to voice any objections before
further action is taken.
Comer says that “while hemp won’t replace major crops
such as tobacco,” it is “another tool for farmers” and also has the potential
“as a source of manufacturing jobs as it is processed.”
Major Anthony Terry of the Kentucky State Police said
he did not vote and “would like clarification on the DOJ memo before any
changes are made to Kentucky’s approach to hemp.”
Kentucky Senate Bill 50, now a law, sets up a
regulatory framework for growing hemp.
Hemp is “related to marijuana; both contain the chemical that gives
marijuana users a high – tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC --” but there are only
trace amounts of the chemical in hemp.
For more information on Kentucky’s efforts to produce
hemp, a recent post from this blog is available here.
