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Hemp commission to meet for first time in 10 years; Comer, Paul staff, major donor are set to present
For more information contact:
Holly VonLuehrte
(502) 573-0450
FRANKFORT, Ky. An historic meeting reviving the long-dormant Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission will take place tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. EST at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, 111 Corporate Drive in Frankfort, Ky.
Back in August, U.S. Senator Rand Paul and Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, along with a bi-partisan group of legislators, stood before Kentuckians and promised to move the industrial hemp initiative forward. This meeting marks the beginning of that process.
Kentucky needs jobs. Everybody says they are for job creation, but supporting industrial hemp is their chance to prove it, Senator Paul said. Industrial hemp could create thousands of production and manufacturing jobs, and Kentucky has the opportunity to be first in line for them. I strongly urge all Kentuckians to call their legislators and other elected officials and ask them to support the industrial hemp initiative.
Commissioner Comer echoed Pauls support and discussed the benefits to Kentucky farmers.
We keep telling our farmers to diversify and look for new opportunities. Well, we have to give them the freedom to pursue them first, said Commissioner Comer. Kentucky has the perfect climate and soil to produce industrial hemp and the hard-working farmers ready to grow it. We just have to get the government out of the way.
Tomorrows meeting will include a special presentation by several honored guests: staff members from Sen. Pauls office; David Bronner, the founder of the nations top-selling natural soap brand, Dr. Bronners Magic Soaps; and a representative of Vote Hemp, a leading industrial hemp advocacy group. The group is expected to make a stunning announcement regarding some substantial private funding for the Commission.
In addition to this announcement, the Commission is expected to take up issues such as potential legislation, educational and public outreach efforts, and infrastructure issues related to hemp.
