Proposed Legislation 2011 Draft Resolution A Resolution urging Congress, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the United States Department of Justice, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to recognize industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity; to define industrial hemp in Federal law as non-psychoactive and genetically identifiable species of the genus Cannabis; to acknowledge that allowing and encouraging farmers to produce industrial hemp will improve the balance of trade by promoting domestic sources of industrial hemp; and to assist United States producers by removing barriers to State regulation of the commercial production of industrial hemp. Read more... 2010 Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Policy National, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming Research and Development into Alternative Crops and Production Methods We support alternatives to energy and chemical intensive methods of production. These include organic, free range, natural and integrated pest management alternatives. We urge Congress and the USDA to re-commit and fully fund research into alternative crops and uses for crops. These crops would include, but are not limited to, canola, buckwheat, lupins, field peas, industrial hemp, millet, and straw. To facilitate this resolution, we urge the USDA to finalize the funding for the greenhouse complex at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Central Great Plains Research Center at Akron, Colorado. Read more... 2010 North Dakota Farmers Union Program of Policy & Action 9. FEDERAL AG POLICY We urge Congress to establish a federal watch dog division that our FSA, NRCS, Fish and Wildlife must be held accountable for their actions in dealing with farmers and rural issues. North Dakota Farmers Union urges the President, Attorney General and Congress to direct the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to differentiate between industrial hemp and marijuana, and adopt a policy to allow American farmers to once again grow industrial hemp, thereby legalizing the production of industrial hemp and its use in American manufacturing efforts, without requiring DEA licenses. Read more... March 14-16, 2010 Policy of the National Farmers Union Enacted by delegates to the 108th annual convention Rapid City, S.D. k) Urging the President, Attorney General and Congress to direct the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to differentiate between industrial hemp and marijuana and adopt policy to allow American farmers to grow industrial hemp under state law without requiring DEA licenses. Read more... 2009 75th Oregon Legislative Assembly Enrolled Senat Bill 676 Relating to industrial hemp; creating new provisions; amending ORS 475.005 and 561.144; and appropriating money. Whereas the Cannabis sativa plant used for the production of industrial hemp is separate and distinct from forms of Cannabis used to produce marijuana; and Whereas industrial hemp is used for products such as building materials, cloth, cordage, fiber, food, floor coverings, fuel, industrial chemicals, paint, paper, particle board, plastics, seed meal, seed oil and yarn; now, therefore, Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon: Read more... April 2, 2009 111th Congresss 1st Session H.R. 1866 To amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marihuana, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009’’. Read more... September 20, 2003 Amendment to Domestic Marketing and Promotion Subject of Amendment Industrial Hemp NASDA supports revisions to the federal rules and regulations, authorizing commercial production of industrial hemp. NASDA urges the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to collaboratively develop and adopt an official definition of industrial hemp that comports with definitions currently used by countries producing hemp. Read more... December 26, 2000 Letter from Bill Friend (House of Representatives) to President Bill Clinton Re: Cultivation and Marketing of Industrial Hemp Dear President Clinton: The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) supports flexible federal policies to allow states to determine the viability of industrial hemp. Eleven states have passed bills or resolutions supporting the re-introduction of this product into American agriculture. But, federal barriers to the cultivation and production of industrial hemp have effectively blocked these states from determining its viability and market potential. Read more...