NEWS FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN DONNA LUPARDO

123rd Assembly District Chair, Committee on Children and Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2014

Contact: Chris Whalen (607 723!"047

Lupardo & OMara introduce bill to allow he p re!earch

Provision in US Farm Bill opens door for State to begin growing
With a pro#ision in the recently passed $nited %tates Farm bill that permits the research o& ind'strial hemp, a bill introd'ced by Assembly(oman Donna )'pardo and %enator *om +,-ara (A"140.%7047 (o'ld ma/e 0e( 1or/ the ele#enth state in the nation to set the &rame(or/ &or 2ro(in2 hemp3 %ection 7606 o& the A2ric'lt're Act o& 2014, si2ned into la( by 4resident +bama on Febr'ary 7th, le2ali5es 2ro(th o& hemp &or research by state departments o& a2ric'lt're or instit'tions o& hi2her ed'cation in states (here it has been appro#ed by la(3 6*he Farm 7ill opens a door &or 0e( 1or/ to be2in ta/in2 ad#anta2e o& this m'lti! 'se crop,8 said Assembly(oman Donna )'pardo (D!9nd(ell 3 6:emp has the potential to be a ne( opport'nity &or o'r emer2in2 a2ric'lt'ral ind'stry3 7oth its stal/ and seed can be 'sed &or te;tiles, b'ildin2 materials, paper, &ood and en#ironmental prod'cts li/e bio&'els38 :emp had been pre#io'sly banned 'nder the Controlled %'bstances Act beca'se it comes &rom the same plant as mari<'ana3 :o(e#er, ind'strial hemp and mari<'ana are 2enetically distinct #arieties o& cannabis and it is not possible to e;tract a dr'2 &rom hemp3 *he *:C content o& hemp is bet(een 030=> to 1>, compared to its recreational co'nterpart (hich contains *:C le#els o& 'p to 20>3 *en states already ha#e la(s in place that allo(s them to be2in prod'cin2 hemp and Assembly bill A?2"7, alon2 (ith its %enate companion bill %7047, establishes proced'res &or 0e( 1or/ to ta/e ad#anta2e o& this research opport'nity3 6*he 0e( 1or/ Farm 7'rea', Cornell $ni#ersity researchers and other a2ric'lt'ral leaders and &arm ad#ocates reco2ni5e ind'strial hemp as a potentially l'crati#e (ay to pro#ide ne( economic opport'nities &or o'r &armers,8 said %enator *om
%tate +&&ice 7'ildin2, 17th Floor @ 44 :a(ley %treet @ 7in2hamton, 01 13"01 @ 4honeA (607 723!"047 @ Fa;A (607 723!"313 626 )e2islati#e +&&ice 7'ildin2 @ Albany, 01 1224? @ 4honeA (=1? 4==!=431 @ Fa;A (=1? 4==!=6"3 9mailA l'pardodBassembly3state3ny3's @ WebsiteA (((3assembly3state3ny3's.l'pardo

+,-ara (C,C!7i2 Flats , a member o& the %enate A2ric'lt're Committee3 6*his proposed pilot pro2ram (o'ld help 0e( 1or/ %tate sec're a stron2 position at the &ore&ront o& a &'t're ind'stry that can di#ersi&y and stren2then o'r a2ric'lt'ral ind'stry, 2enerate re#en'e and create <obs38 :emp is 'sed aro'nd the (orld to prod'ce &abric, rope, paper, oil, soap, lotion and e#en &ood3 Dt also is rich in +me2a 3 and +me2a 6 &atty acids, (hich 2i#es it n'mero's health bene&its to both h'mans and animals3 Dn 2012, retail sales &rom imported hemp prod'cts (ere estimated at E=00 million3 *he 0e( 1or/ Farm 7'rea' s'pports the ne( le2islation, (hich it says (o'ld position the state as a leader in hemp prod'ction3 6Dnd'strial hemp prod'ction (o'ld o&&er 0e( 1or/,s &armers ne( economic opport'nities3 Di#ersi&ication is important as &arms loo/ to remain s'ccess&'l in a 2lobal mar/etplace, and ind'strial hemp co'ld be another pro&itable alternati#e &or a2ric'lt're, (hich in t'rn, (o'ld help boost the state,s r'ral economy,8 said Dean 0orton, 4resident o& 0e( 1or/ Farm 7'rea'3 6*his le2islation (o'ld p't 0e( 1or/ 2ro(ers in a position to ta/e ad#anta2e o& chan2in2 &ederal re2'lations,8 D& appro#ed by the 0e( 1or/ %tate )e2islat're, hemp prod'ction &or research can be2in immediately by either the 0e( 1or/ %tate Department o& A2ric'lt're and -ar/ets or by colle2es and 'ni#ersities3 Cornell $ni#ersity,s Colle2e o& A2ric'lt're and )i&e %ciences reco2ni5es the bene&its o& hemp as an ind'strial prod'ct and is a potential candidate to participate in the pilot pro2ram3 6Dnd'strial hemp is an e;cellent candidate &rom a biomass standpoint, (ith hi2h yield as (ell as m'ltiple potential #al'e!added 'ses,8 said Ferry Cherney, 4ro&essor o& A2ric'lt're at Cornell3 6Alternati#e mar/ets allo( &armers to minimi5e their ris/ and ma;imi5e pro&its38 0e( 1or/,s ind'strial hemp bill is c'rrently in the Assembly and %enate A2ric'lt're Committees3 !30!

%tate +&&ice 7'ildin2, 17th Floor @ 44 :a(ley %treet @ 7in2hamton, 01 13"01 @ 4honeA (607 723!"047 @ Fa;A (607 723!"313 626 )e2islati#e +&&ice 7'ildin2 @ Albany, 01 1224? @ 4honeA (=1? 4==!=431 @ Fa;A (=1? 4==!=6"3 9mailA l'pardodBassembly3state3ny3's @ WebsiteA (((3assembly3state3ny3's.l'pardo