Proposed bill focuses on (Alaska) hemp industry framework

By Matt Buxton
Source: newsminer.com

JUNEAU — It’s unclear whether Alaska would be a prime candidate for growing industrial hemp, but a bill in the Legislature could help figure that out.

Senate Bill 8 by Anchorage Democratic Sen. Johnny Ellis proposes to establish the regulatory framework and research needed to allow hemp industry to gain a foothold in the state. The bill was heard in the Senate Resources Committee on Friday afternoon.

Because of recent changes in federal law, industrial hemp pilot projects and production have launched in 19 states, according to a representative from the National Conference of State Legislatures who testified.

Senate Bill 8 aims to take advantage of greater federal leniency to set up state regulations for the industry, including licensing of hemp growers and clarifies that hemp is separate from the recently legalized marijuana.

Both hemp and marijuana are varieties of the cannabis plant. While marijuana has high levels of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinols, or THC, industrial hemp normally is defined as effectively without THC and is popular for a variety of non-drug uses. Senate Bill 8 would require industrial hemp to have less than 0.3 percent THC.

Both Mat-Su Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss and Alaska Farm Bureau Board President Bryce Wrigley testified in support of industrial hemp.

Wrigley said the Alaska Farm Bureau has come out in favor of the bill, but said he has yet to hear of anyone who’s seriously considering growing it.

“It’s largely dependent on whether we can grow it to maturity or not,” he said.

Wrigley added industrial hemp is a prime opportunity to utilize the agricultural research and testing capabilities of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He suggested the yet-to-be-proved industry could benefit from university involvement.

“This early in the game it would be helpful, rather than passing seeds out to whoever is interested in growing it and having a slipshod approach,” he said.

DeVilbiss doubted there would be a wide commercial potential, but said it likely would have a niche appeal that could help diversify Alaska’s agricultural economy.

“I think there is potential. My personal opinion is there isn’t above average commercial potential but there’s the niche value,” he said. “There are people who swear by it.”

While the bill appeared to generally have support from committee members, one raised concerns about the cost of implementing the program.

“We have to be very cautious about what we get into and the potential costs to the departments,” said Sen. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak. “This isn’t the finance committee, but we have to look at all aspects.”

Both the city of Fairbanks City Council and the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly passed resolutions that were included in the support documents for Senate Bill 8.

The committee took testimony in support of the bill and held the bill over for continued testimony next week.

Contact staff writer Matt Buxton at 549-7544. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMpolitics.