California Industrial Hemp Farming Act Update

California Industrial Hemp Farming Act Update

Thank you to each of the businesses, organizations, and individuals
who signed on in support of the California Industrial Hemp Farming
Act (AB 1147).

There was no vote taken at the April 27th hearing before the Assembly
Committee on Agriculture. The bill was instead held without
recommendation until 2006. Between now and then there is much work to
be done. More work needs to be done to educate members of the
Agriculture Committee before a 2nd hearing takes place in 2006.

The Assembly Committee on Agriculture’s analysis of the bill, which
lists each of the bill’s supporters, can be found at the following
link.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_1101-1150/ab_1147_cfa_20050426_155054_asm_comm.html

In addition to the supporting organizations that are listed in the
analysis, Alterna, Global Exchange, and Nature’s Path, also sent
statements of support. You’ll notice that forty organizations are
listed in support, while only one is listed in opposition. No
opponents appeared to testify at the April 27th hearing on the bill.

We can increase our chances of getting the bill passed out of
committee next year if we start now to meet the following goals
across the state, especially in the Central Valley:

- Gain the support of county and state farm organizations.

- Gain the support of local and state Chambers of Commerce.

- Gather supportive editorials from newspapers.

- Educate legislators and the public on industrial hemp, a hardy,
versatile, high-value crop.

- Increase our network of businesses, organizations, and individuals
who support industrial hemp.

Please contact our lobbyist, Alexis Baden-Mayer (alexis [at] votehemp.com)
if you would like to help Vote Hemp meet any or all of these goals.

You can send a letter to your California Assemblymember at
http://www.votehemp.com/CA_action_alert.html . If you would like to
distribute the letter as a paper petition, you can enter the name and
contact information of each person who signs at
http://www.votehemp.com/CA_action_alert.html .
Feel free to forward this e-mail to encourage others to get involved.

Thanks for your continued support.

The Vote Hemp Board