STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8509
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 17, 2017
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Introduced by M. of A. LUPARDO -- (at request of the Governor) -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
inspection and sale of industrial hemp seeds, the support of the
industrial hemp industry and the inclusion of industrial hemp as a
crop
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Declaration of legislative findings and intent. It is here-
2 by found and declared that industrial hemp is an agricultural commodity,
3 the domestic cultivation of which has the potential not only to generate
4 new jobs in agriculture and enhance the profitability of New York farms,
5 but to expand opportunities for processors and manufacturers producing a
6 wide array of traditional and new products using industrial hemp.
7 It is the declared policy of the state to become a leader in encourag-
8 ing and supporting research into the growth, cultivation, uses, process-
9 ing and development of industrial hemp and products derived from indus-
10 trial hemp to benefit its people and to support New York farms and
11 businesses to the full extent permitted by law.
12 § 2. Subdivision 3 of section 136 of the agriculture and markets law,
13 as amended by chapter 160 of the laws of 1983, is amended to read as
14 follows:
15 3. The terms "agricultural seeds" and "crop seeds" include the seeds
16 of grass, forage, cereal, field beans, and fiber crops, including
17 "industrial hemp" as defined in section five hundred five of this chap-
18 ter, or any other kinds of seeds commonly recognized within this state
19 as agricultural seeds, lawn seeds, and mixtures of such seeds.
20 § 3. Subdivision 2 of section 301 of the agriculture and markets law
21 is amended by adding a new paragraph l to read as follows:
22 l. Industrial hemp as defined in section five hundred five of this
23 chapter.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD12018-01-7
A. 8509 2
1 § 4. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
2 section 510 to read as follows:
3 § 510. Industrial hemp seed certification program. The commissioner
4 shall establish an industrial hemp seed certification program in the
5 department to, among other things, set industrial hemp seed certif-
6 ication standards and establish seed quality benchmarks to ensure that
7 the local hemp cultivars are developed to be well adapted for New York
8 state's climate and farm management practices and that they are stable
9 with respect to the concentration of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol.
10 § 5. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
11 section 511 to read as follows:
12 § 511. Industrial hemp data collection and best farming practices.
13 The department, through the commissioner, shall have the power to
14 collect and publish data and research concerning, among other things,
15 the growth, cultivation, production and processing methods of industrial
16 hemp and products derived from industrial hemp. Based upon this
17 collection of data and research, the department shall work with the
18 cornell cooperative extension to promote best farming practices for
19 industrial hemp which are compatible with state water quality and other
20 environmental objectives.
21 § 6. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
22 section 512 to read as follows:
23 § 512. Industrial hemp economic development. The commissioner shall
24 consult and cooperate with the New York State urban development corpo-
25 ration with respect to the funding and support of research concerning
26 industrial hemp and businesses involved in the processing and manufac-
27 turing of industrial hemp products.
28 § 7. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
29 section 513 to read as follows:
30 § 513. Industrial hemp one-stop shop. The commissioner shall establish
31 a department one-stop shop hotline and webpage to provide information
32 and technical assistance to producers and manufacturers with respect to
33 the law and regulations surrounding industrial hemp for so long as
34 industrial hemp is subject to regulation under the federal or state
35 Controlled Substances Act.
36 § 8. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
37 section 514 to read as follows:
38 § 514. Industrial hemp workgroup. The commissioner shall appoint a New
39 York state industrial hemp workgroup, composed of researchers, produc-
40 ers, processors and manufacturers, serving two-year terms, to make
41 recommendations concerning research topics for the industrial hemp
42 research pilot program, state and federal policies and policy initi-
43 atives, and opportunities for the promotion and marketing of industrial
44 hemp as consistent with federal and state laws, rules and regulations,
45 which workgroup shall continue for such time as the commissioner deems
46 appropriate.
47 § 9. This act shall take effect immediately.
