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Minutes for SB233 - Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Short Title
Establishing a commercial industrial hemp program.
Minutes Content for Fri, Mar 22, 2019
Chairperson Kerschen opened the informational hearing on SB233.
Kyle Hamilton of Revisor of Statutes distributed a memorandum which he explained. He told the committee that the 2018 United States Farm Bill requires any state that wishes to commercially produce industrial hemp to submit a regulatory plan with U.S. Department of Agriculture for approval. In cases where the state plan is not approved the United States Department of Agriculture would create its own regulatory plan for the state and license commercial hemp producers within that state.(Attachment 1)
Jeff Vogel presented information on the status of producing industrial hemp in Kansas. In 2018 the Kansas Legislature passed SB263 which allowed the Kansas Department of Agriculture to develop a research based hemp program. This became effective Feb.8, 2019. Also in 2018 the United States Congress passed a Farm Bill which allows states to establish programs for the commercial production of hemp. If a plan is not approved to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, federal law does not allow the commercial production of industrial hemp.(Attachment 2)
In response to questions from the committee, Chairperson Kerschen called on Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam who told the committee that if the Kansas legislature wants to have hemp production in the 2020 growing season , SB233 needs to be passed.
Chairperson Kerschen also called on Katie Wiseman with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. She feels that this bill is the best solution for both the agriculture community and law enforcement. The KBI has taken a neutral position on the bill.
Written testimony in favor of the bill was provided by Ryan Flickner with Kansas Farm Bureau.(Attachment 3)
Chairperson Kerschen closed the informational hearing on SB233.
