Tagged: industrial hemp

The industrial hemp debate will resume in Frankfort later this morning.  A bill seeking a pilot project for hemp in Kentucky will be discussed in a Senate committee.  Carrying the ball for putting hemp in farmer’s fields is Agriculture Commissioner James Comer.

 “We find new uses every day for industrial hemp," he says. "It’s a green crop.  It’s something that is replacing plastic in the automotive industry.  You can make paper with industrial hemp, textiles, cosmetics and lotions, bio fuels.”

Support for industrial hemp is growing in Kentucky behind the efforts of Agriculture Commissioner James Comer. With last week's endorsement from U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, Comer now has the majority of the state’s federal delegation behind him.

Both senators and half of the state's congressmen have publicly endorsed legalizing industrial hemp. They say Kentucky is well-suited to be a leader in growing hemp for fiber and oil. But the push does have its opponents.

Pension reform, updating liquor laws, expanded gaming, a state-wide smoking ban and legalizing the production of industrial hemp are just a few issues Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Bureau Chief Kenny Colston thinks will be on the agenda for this year's legislative session in Frankfort. Colston speaks with Chad Lampe about the details surrounding some of those issues and who will fill  retiring Sen. Ken Winters's (R-Murray) seat on the senate education committee. Plus, hear if there are any hard feeling between  Sen. Bob Leeper (I-Paducah) and Senate President-elect Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) after his failed attempt at seeking the top post in the Senate.

As Kentucky and federal lawmakers consider legalizing industrial hemp, the chair of the University of Kentucky's agriculture economics department notes that such an industry won't rise overnight.

The second meeting of the state’s Industrial Hemp Commission will soon begin sorting through the details of its efforts to bring legalized hemp to Kentucky.

The commission will work on the details of a new legislative bill proposal, such what the bill will include and which legislators will sponsor it during the 2013 session, said the chairman, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer.