HARRISBURG, Jan. 8, 2015 – To help Pennsylvania farmers tap into the multi-million dollar hemp industry, state Sens. Judy Schwank (D-11) and Mike Folmer (R-48) will hold a media briefing at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show to talk about legislation that would finally give them that opportunity.
Schwank and Folmer will introduce Senate Bill 50 which, if adopted into law, would create the “Industrial Hemp Act.”
“The 2014 federal Farm Bill authorizes pilot programs for industrial hemp, and SB 50 provides oversight for growing, harvesting and marketing a traditional commonwealth crop while providing new opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers,” Schwank said.
Industrial hemp has been used for thousands of years in numerous applications and, until the last century, was commonly grown in Pennsylvania. Today, an estimated 50,000 potential applications exist for hemp’s use across a wide spectrum of industries, including textiles, building materials, industrial products, paper and energy and environmental products.
“The use of industrial hemp provides a multitude of benefits,” Folmer said. “The best farmland preservation is allowing farmers to farm their land profitably. Hemp is also a crop that helps the environment. Consumers will benefit from the many uses of hemp.”
In 2012, the Hemp Industries Association valued the U.S. hemp industry at an estimated $500 million. Sustainable hemp seed, fiber and oil are used in raw materials today by major companies, including Ford Motor Company and Mercedes Benz. Industrial hemp is imported into the United States from Canada, Europe and China.
Media coverage is invited.
WHAT: Sens. Judy Schwank and Mike Folmer media briefing on SB 50, the “Industrial Hemp Act”
WHEN: 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10
WHERE: Delaware Room, Keystone Conference Center, Pennsylvania Farm Show, Harrisburg