Senate Passes Farm Bill With Delayed Hemp Ban, House Action Awaits | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal, and written by Brooke Conrad.

Shane Whitaker of Climax began farming hemp this year, after the crop was legalized by the federal government in 2018. | Photo: Brooke Conrad

    The General Assembly is one step closer to settling the smokable hemp dispute after months of deliberation.

    In a 40-10 vote Monday, Oct. 28, the Senate passed the farm bill, which includes a provision to ban smokable hemp in June 2020. Law enforcement officials have been pushing to ban the smokable hemp flower because it's impossible to distinguish the substance from marijuana by sight or smell.

    The two chambers couldn't agree on when to enact the ban. The Senate, led by Rep. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, wanted to push it to December 2020, hoping law enforcement would find a solution in the meantime that would allow the General Assembly to repeal the ban. The House, at the behest of Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Duplin, originally wanted to ban hemp as early as December of 2019. Last week, the two chambers settled on a June 2020 compromise during conference committee.

    The House was also going to vote on the bill Monday evening. But it was withdrawn from the calendar because of a provision unrelated to hemp.

    If the bill passes, law enforcement will be under pressure to find a solution by June. Otherwise, North Carolina's hemp industry will take a huge hit.

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has said it's currently working on a mobile testing device that can be used nationwide to distinguish hemp from marijuana, Jackson said. He also noted that licensed North Carolina growers can still sell smokable hemp out-of-state or to other countries.

    "I can't guarantee anything but death and taxes," he said. "But we'll continue to work on this, and I believe we can find a solution by June 1."

    Sen. Harper Peterson, D-New Hanover, wasn't as hopeful.

    "This pulls the rug out from under so many farmers in this industry," he said, noting that investors and processors could move out-of-state if the industry begins to falter. "We're at the forefront right now. Hopefully we'll send the signal that by June next year we'll solve this issue."

    The Senate already is sending farmers that signal in the first 20 and a half pages of the farm bill, said Sen. Mike Woodard, D-Durham. It's only the final page on smokable hemp that's caused any real controversy.

    "Those of us working on this, particularly on the hemp sections of this bill, we're committed to making hemp a thriving, growing agricultural industry in this state," Woodard said.

    Jackson acknowledged Peterson's concerns about the future of the hemp industry, saying the final version of the bill wasn't his ideal, but that it was the best compromise the House and Senate could work out.

    "I'm telling you folks, I'm behind the farmer," he said. "They've been in dire straits and serious financial situations for decades, and I want to give them every opportunity."
Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published)
Enter Your Comment ( no code or urls allowed, text only please )




Municipal Election Daily Vote Totals for October 28 Carolina Journal, Editorials, Op-Ed & Politics Pharmacy Middleman Regulations Stall in State Senate


HbAD0

Latest Op-Ed & Politics

President Joe Biden took direct aim at Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas during a recent interview, referring to him simply as “the guy who likes to spend a lot of time on yachts.”
The best way the county and city can help hold down inflation is to resist all tax increases
Pope Francis lambasted leftist gender ideology during an address this week, warning that it presented an extreme danger to mankind.
amnesty would just encourage more illegal aliens to storm our borders
The Christmas candy was barely off the shelves when the Valentine’s candy appeared. Red and pink hearts with caramel and nut-filled chocolate goodness caught our eye. We are reminded of how we love love. Young love, especially.

HbAD1

far left sugar daddy has also funded anti-Israel groups and politicians in US
Be careful what you wish for, you may get it
America needs to wake up and get its priorities right
Former President Donald Trump suggested this week that if he becomes president again, he might allow Prince Harry to be deported.
It's a New Year, which means it's time to make resolutions — even for prominent evangelical leaders. The Babylon Bee asked the following well-known figures in the faith what they hope to accomplish in 2024:
Vice President Kamala Harris will visit a Minnesota Planned Parenthood clinic, reportedly the first time a president or vice president has visited an abortion facility.

HbAD2

An eight-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville has been temporarily closed due to a string of “human and bear interactions,” the National Parks Service announced.

HbAD3

 
Back to Top