NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLYWOMAN DONNA A. LUPARDO

123
rd
Assembly District
SENATOR THOMAS OMARA
58
th
Senate District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chris Whalen
June 11, 21!
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Legislators pass bill authorizing hemp research
Provision in US Farm Bill opens door for State to begin growing
As the 21! le)islati*e session +ra,s to a close, a -a.or a)ricultural initiati*e
-o*es one ste/ closer to 0e)innin) in 1e, 2or34 The Asse-0l5 an+ Senate /asse+
to+a5 a 0ill intro+uce+ 05 Asse-0l5,o-an Donna Lu/ar+o an+ Senator To- O6Mara
"A(1!7S$!$%4 The le)islation /er-its the research o8 in+ustrial he-/ an+ ,oul+ -a3e
1e, 2or3 the 1#
th
state in the nation to set the 8ra-e,or3 8or )ro,in)4
9This 0ill /ositions 1e, 2or3 State to ta3e a+*anta)e o8 ,hat ,ill certainl5
0eco-e a ne, in+ustr5,: sai+ Asse-0l5,o-an Lu/ar+o "D'En+,ell%4 91ot onl5 ,ill this
allo, us to 0e)in researchin) /otential uses 8or this lucrati*e cro/, 0ut also the /otential
8or ne, -anu8acturin) an+ -ar3ets across the state4:
;oth the stal3 an+ see+ 8ro- he-/ can 0e use+ in the /ro+uction o8 a *ariet5 o8
)oo+s inclu+in) te<tiles, 0uil+in) -aterials, /a/er, 8oo+, 0o+5 /ro+ucts an+
en*iron-ental /ro+ucts such as 0io8uels4
9This /ro/ose+ /ilot /ro)ra- ,oul+ hel/ 1e, 2or3 State secure a stron) /osition
at the 8ore8ront o8 a 8uture in+ustr5 that can +i*ersi85 an+ stren)then our a)ricultural
in+ustr5, )enerate re*enue an+ create .o0s,: sai+ Senator To- O6Mara "R,C';i) Flats%4
Section $## o8 the A)riculture Act o8 21!, si)ne+ into la, 05 =resi+ent O0a-a
on Fe0ruar5 $th, le)ali>es )ro,th o8 he-/ 8or research 05 state +e/art-ents o8
a)riculture or institutions o8 hi)her e+ucation in states ,here it has 0een a//ro*e+ 05
la,4 1? states alrea+5 ha*e la,s in /lace that allo,s the- to 0e)in /ro+ucin) he-/4
9In+ustrial he-/ /ro+uction ,oul+ o88er 1e, 2or36s 8ar-ers ne, econo-ic
o//ortunities4 Di*ersi8ication is i-/ortant as 8ar-s loo3 to re-ain success8ul in a )lo0al
-ar3et/lace, an+ in+ustrial he-/ coul+ 0e another /ro8ita0le alternati*e 8or a)riculture,
,hich in turn, ,oul+ hel/ 0oost the state6s rural econo-5,: sai+ Dean 1orton, =resi+ent
o8 1e, 2or3 Far- ;ureau4 9This le)islation ,oul+ /ut 1e, 2or3 )ro,ers in a /osition to
ta3e a+*anta)e o8 chan)in) 8e+eral re)ulations,:
@e-/ is use+ aroun+ the ,orl+ to /ro+uce 8a0ric, ro/e, /a/er, oil, soa/, lotion
an+ e*en 8oo+4 It also is rich in O-e)a & an+ O-e)a # 8att5 aci+s, ,hich )i*es it
nu-erous health 0ene8its to 0oth hu-ans an+ ani-als4 In 212, retail sales 8ro-
i-/orte+ he-/ /ro+ucts ,ere esti-ate+ at A? -illion4
The 0ill authori>es research to 0e con+ucte+ 05 either the 1e, 2or3 State
De/art-ent o8 A)riculture an+ Mar3ets or 05 colle)es an+ uni*ersities4 Cornell
Bni*ersit56s Colle)e o8 A)riculture an+ Li8e Sciences reco)ni>es the 0ene8its o8 he-/ as
an in+ustrial /ro+uct an+ is a /otential can+i+ate to /artici/ate in the /ilot /ro)ra-4
9In+ustrial he-/ is an e<cellent can+i+ate 8ro- a 0io-ass stan+/oint, ,ith hi)h
5iel+ as ,ell as -ulti/le /otential *alue'a++e+ uses,: sai+ Jerr5 Cherne5, =ro8essor o8
A)riculture at Cornell4 9Alternati*e -ar3ets allo, 8ar-ers to -ini-i>e their ris3 an+
-a<i-i>e /ro8its4:
The 0ill ,ill )o to Co*ernor Cuo-o 8or consi+eration4
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