Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson issued the following press release.
Today, in accordance with House Bill 1547 enacted during the 2019 Regular Legislative Session, Mississippi’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced the planned framework and first meeting of the Mississippi Hemp Cultivation Task Force. Cultivation of industrial hemp was legalized under federal law in December 2018 pursuant to Section 10113 of the 2018 Farm Bill. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not yet implemented new Farm Bill regulations for the 2019 growing season. Cultivation of industrial hemp is still prohibited under state law in Mississippi.
On February 27, 2019, USDA announced it had begun the process of gathering information to initiate rulemaking required to implement the federal hemp cultivation program. USDA’s stated goal is to issue federal regulations in the fall of 2019 to accommodate the 2020 planting season. Meanwhile, the Mississippi Legislature established the Mississippi Hemp Cultivation Task Force during the 2019 Regular Legislative Session to consider the potential of hemp cultivation, market potential, and potential job creation in Mississippi.
With the enactment of House Bill 1547, the Mississippi Legislature specified that Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson serve as Chairman of the Mississippi Hemp Cultivation Task Force. Commissioner Gipson noted, “This is a responsibility I take seriously in accepting this unique assignment from the Mississippi Legislature. I look forward to leading a thoughtful, evidence-based discussion with the other members of the Task Force as we examine all the issues surrounding the cultivation of hemp in Mississippi.” He added, “In all our considerations, we will keep a keen focus on the interests of Mississippians, including our farmers, law enforcement and other stakeholders, as well as the general public. We will thoroughly explore the potential as well as the challenges experienced by other states.”
Under the legislation, the members of the Mississippi Hemp Cultivation Task Force are as follows:
a. The Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce or a designee;
b. The President of Mississippi State University or a designee;
c. The President of Alcorn State University or a designee;
d. A director of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy National Center for Natural Products Research or a designee;
e. The President of the Delta Council or a designee;
f. A representative of the Mississippi Secretary of State's office;
g. A representative of the Mississippi Attorney General's office;
h. The Director of Pharmacy, Mississippi State Department of Health or a designee;
i. A member of the Mississippi House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House;
j. A member of the Mississippi Senate designated by the Lieutenant Governor;
k. The Commissioner of Public Safety or a designee;
l. The President of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation or a designee; and
m. A designee of the Governor.
In order to meet the early December deadline for reporting to the Legislature, Commissioner Gipson is asking each member of the Task Force for early submission of their ideas and concerns. This will provide time for initial research by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce in advance of the first Task Force meeting in early July.
Commissioner Gipson announced that meetings of the Mississippi Hemp Cultivation Task Force will be held in Room 113 of the Mississippi State Capitol and will be open to the public. The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 8, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.
24 comments:
One toke over the line...............
Can you smoke this s**t?
Hey ya’ll, lets build a industrial hemp processing plant.....
I'm glad to see Mississippi is one step closer to not being last place in the hemp industry.
Anyone who isn't aware of the numerous industrial uses for hemp fiber and hemp oil should do a web search. It is also well documented that the seed cake byproduct of hemp oil extraction is a protein and amino acid rich superfood. Even if Baptists don't want to eat it, feed it to your animals and see the results.
Now if only we could get the ball rolling on the cannabis industry in Mississippi. But that is a whole different agricultural and legislative world despite hemp and cannabis being genetically similar.
We need a task force to determine whether or not we should legalize the cultivation of a completely harmless plant that could bring jobs to a job starved state? Damn, that's about as Mississippi as it gets.
Cheech and Chong will fill two advisory positions.
Well, the word hemp scares a lot of people who have no idea what it is. Most notably, the Governor.
The problem with the "jobs starved state" is that a large part of the unskilled population don't want to work.
Proof? Why are there so many illegals employed? Because the unskilled potential workforce don't want to fucking work. They would rather sit on their porches drinking 40s while receiving their free shit.
Cut off the free shit and some of this demographic will be forced to work. Oh my.
Yes, hemp is a harmless, yet useful plant.
Watch the race baiters equate harvesting hemp with harvesting cotton. //roll eyes//
Hemp is a niche market comparable to the markets for parsley or ornamental gourds. It's legal to grow in many countries. Canada and China are two examples. But they grow very little of it because the market for hemp is small. Yes, it is versatile. But for every use of hemp there is a superior modern alternative. Nylon rope is better than hemp rope. Paper from farmed pine trees is cheaper than paper from hemp. There is no reason hemp farming should be illegal, but it is important not to fall under the spell of the marijuana advocates who assert that hemp will solve the world's problems.
Hopefully, we can establish some llama farms next. Tastes like chicken I here.
Maybe Shad can do a study.
804, yes paper from pine trees is cheaper than from hemp. But once you harvest your 40 acres of pine, you wait a decade or two until you can harvest it again. Hemp, once harvested is replanted and harvested again the next year. And the next. Etc.
Considering that basic economic fact, the return on hemp is much higher than pine. And, hemp is not subject to destruction from beetlesor fire. And in the case of a tornado or hurricane, you lose one years production, not 20.
"Tastes like chicken I here."
If you're answering roll-call, you need to place a period after the word chicken. I doubt you'll get this.
@ 4:39 Exactly what it thought
@ 12:18 Excellent points
Prediction- Analysis paralysis will rule the day. We (MS) wouldn't want to
become known as forward thinking!
Hemp was a big crop on the Gulf Coast in the days of sail powered shipping and fishing boats.
This task force sounds a lot like these committees and studies commissioned by the Jackson mayor. Just birds of a different colored feather.
Good luck with your little Hemp growing project. Your going to make a ton of pennies! LOL now let’s see what stupid loan officer is dumb enough to finance this? UPDATE: Loan office at local bank now working at car wash after approving failed hemp loan.
When Bayer offers a GMO/Agent Orange tolerant seed I'll know it's time to invest.
Well played, 6:11am.
Putting Andy Gipson in charge of studying something he probably thinks hemp is "the dope" or that some of his fellow Baptists might think he is supporting the devil's weed is a brilliant idea. Why not put Kenneth Stokes in charge of calculating next year's state budget while we're at it.
5:14, I heard Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg will also join the advisory board
Nothing to joke about if you or a family member is suffering from pain. CBD and essential oils from the plants have nothing to do with marijuana, which does NOT need to be legalized.
This will happen. Only question is when.
I will wait until "Hemp Madness" comes out on DVD.
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