 
Senate Resolution No. 5501
 
BY: Senator O'MARA
 
        RECOGNIZING Hemp History Week, June 4-10, 2018
 
  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body  is justly proud to recognize Hemp
History Week, June 4-10, 2018; and
 
  WHEREAS, Hemp History Week, June 4-10,  2018,  is  an  industry-wide
initiative of the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) and Vote Hemp; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  HIA  is  a  nonprofit  trade  group representing hemp
companies, researchers, farmers and supporters; and
 
  WHEREAS, Vote Hemp is a national, single-issue, non-profit  advocacy
group founded in 2000 by members of the hemp industry to remove barriers
to  industrial  hemp  farming  in  the  United States through education,
legislation and advocacy; and
 
  WHEREAS, A bi-partisan effort has taken place at  both  the  federal
and  state levels to pass legislation which would allow American farmers
to compete with foreign nations in hemp production; and
 
  WHEREAS, Industrial hemp refers to the non-drug  oilseed  and  fiber
varieties of the genus Cannabis which have less than three-tenths of one
percent  tetrahydrocannabinol  (THC)  and  are  cultivated  for products
derived from whole stalk, seed, and roots, including fiber,  food,  oil,
and extracts; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  flowering  tops of industrial hemp cannot produce any
drug or intoxicating effect when inhaled or ingested; and
 
  WHEREAS,   The   bill   signed   by   Governor   Andrew   M.   Cuomo
(A9140/S7047-2014)  defines  industrial  hemp as an agricultural product
for the purposes of research pilot  programs,  in  accordance  with  the
language  passed  in  the  federal  farm  bill  (Sec. 7606 of H.R. 2642;
codified in 7 U.S.C. 5940),  which  legitimized  state  industrial  hemp
agricultural pilot research programs; and
 
  WHEREAS, The 2016 New York State budget included provisions to allow
for  the  growth,  sale,  distribution, transportation and processing of
industrial hemp on an unlimited basis; and
 
  WHEREAS, The  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Markets  formed  the
Industrial  Hemp  Work  Group which includes academic partners, industry
members, and State officials  in  an  effort  to  advise  the  State  on
policies and initiatives that will help grow the industry; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Governor  Cuomo  convened the first Hemp Summit at Cornell
University in 2017 where farmers,  researchers,  industry  leaders,  and
State officials convened to explore new opportunities through industrial
hemp research in New York State; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  New York State Legislature passed legislation in 2017
to allow that industrial hemp be considered an agricultural product  and
 
that  it  be  treated  the  same way as other crops and seed in New York
State; and
 
  WHEREAS, Each year, American companies are forced to import millions
of  dollars'  worth of hemp seed and fiber products annually from China,
Canada, Europe, and other countries; and
 
  WHEREAS, Nutritious hemp  foods  can  be  found  in  grocery  stores
nationwide  and  strong durable hemp fibers can be found in the interior
parts of millions of American cars; and
 
  WHEREAS, In addition, retail sales of hemp  products  nationwide  in
2016  were  estimated  to  be  over  $688 million annually, and numerous
buildings are being constructed using a long-lasting, energy-saving hemp
and lime mixture which acts to sequester carbon; and
 
  WHEREAS, The reluctance to permit industrial hemp farming is denying
agricultural producers in this country the ability to  benefit  from  an
important  crop  which  can  provide  significant  economic  benefits to
producers and manufacturers; and
 
  WHEREAS, The US relied upon hemp from the Mayflower  to  the  U.S.S.
Constitution and through every world war; and
 
  WHEREAS,  This  great  Empire State is poised to be a leader in hemp
production, processing and manufacturing by the actions of the New  York
State Legislature; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize Hemp History Week, June 4-10, 2018.
Recognizing Hemp History Week, June 4-10, 2018

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