house resolution no.104
Reps. Gay-Dagnogo, Hoadley, Yancey, Ellison, Byrd, Cynthia Johnson, Sneller, Neeley, Tyrone Carter, Love, LaGrand, Brenda Carter, Hood, Rabhi and Stone offered the following resolution:
Whereas, Industrial hemp refers to the non-drug oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis which are cultivated exclusively for fiber, stalk, and seed. Industrial hemp is genetically distinct from the drug varieties of Cannabis, also known as marihuana. Industrial hemp has less than three tenths of one percent of the psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The flowering tops of industrial hemp cannot produce any drug effect when smoked or ingested; and
Whereas, Congress never intended to prohibit the production of industrial hemp when restricting the production, possession, and use of marihuana. The legislative history of the federal Marihuana Tax Act, where the current definition of marihuana first appeared, shows that farmers and manufacturers of industrial hemp products were assuaged by Federal Bureau of Narcotic Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger, who promised that the proposed legislation bore no threat to them, saying "They are not only amply protected under this act, but they can go ahead and raise hemp just as they have always done it"; and
Whereas, Michigan began a pilot program to study the cultivation of industrial hemp, as authorized under the Farm Bill of 2014. The United States Department of Agriculture standards are necessary to expand the license and authorization of industrial hemp cultivation to farmers not directly connected to institutions of higher learning or the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; and
Whereas, The Farm Bill of 2018 established procedures to create and furnish standards for the cultivation of industrial hemp. Michigan approved cultivation of hemp within days of the passage of the Farm Bill; and
Whereas, Hemp products abound in the United States. 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. Buildings are being constructed using a hemp and lime mixture, thereby sequestering carbon. Retail sales of hemp products in this country are estimated to be $600 million in 2015; and
Whereas, American farmers are missing out on an important economic opportunity. American companies are forced to import millions of dollars worth of hemp seed and fiber products annually from other countries, thereby effectively denying American farmers an opportunity to compete and share in the profits. Industrial hemp is a high-value, low-input crop that is not genetically modified, requires little or no pesticides, can be dry land farmed, and uses less fertilizer than wheat and corn. China is the largest supplier of raw and processed hemp fiber and Canada is the largest supplier of hemp seed and oil cake imported to the U.S. Farmers in other countries, including Canada, China, Great Britain, France, Germany, Romania, and Australia, can produce industrial hemp without undue restriction or complications; and
Whereas, Industrial and commercial grade hemp could help stimulate an economic resurgence in the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan as part of the Green Economy. Detroit has an abundance of vacant land that could be used for industrial hemp farming, as well as the processing and production of over 25,000 potential products and finished goods. This could create an economic resurgence by creating thousands of jobs for Detroit and Michigan; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the United States Department of Agriculture to speedily create and disseminate standards allowing each state and its farmers to capitalize on this untapped economic driver; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Agriculture and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.