A Press Conference was held in Sacramento on February 23rd to announce the introduction of AB 1147, which is a new piece of industrial hemp legislation in the state of California. Assemblyman Mark Leno was joined by representatives of the Hemp Industries Association, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Nutiva, and others to state their support for legalized industrial hemp farming in California. If the new hemp bill becomes law, farmers would be able to apply for state licenses to grow hemp. The law would be similar to regulations on industrial hemp in other countries such as Canada and the European Union.

This is the second time an industrial hemp bill has been introduced in the California legislature. In 2002, a hemp research bill passed both the Assembly and Senate only to be vetoed by then-Governor Gray Davis. Candi Penn, the executive director of the Hemp Industries Association, says, "We hope that our Governor, who was born in a country where hemp farming is legal, will sign the legislation to the benefit of California's economy and environment." “Products manufactured with hemp are already a multimillion dollar industry in California, but our manufacturers buy hemp seed, oil and fiber from international farmers” says Assemblyman Leno. “It is time to put California farmers first and not leave them out of the economic benefits of this environmentally sound crop.”

Vote Hemp, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of industrial hemp, believes that in 2005, four state legislatures are likely to pass laws that would allow farmers and researchers to grow industrial hemp- in addition to California, New Hampshire, Oregon, and North Dakota business leaders, farmers and legislators are backing proposed laws that would bring back hemp farming almost 50 years after the crop was taken away from farmers who grew the versatile plant for centuries.

Statement and petition supported by California Greens | Article on Mark Leno's Website | Hemp Industries Association | Global Hemp Website | Vote Hemp Website