"Amendment with hemp killing language added to Farm Bill"

"There was no roll call vote on the hemp-killing Mary Miller Amendment (discussed here). Instead, House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson grouped it 'en bloc' with several other amendments and subjected them to a voice vote, which passed," shares the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.

"This is especially disappointing because we were confident that on a roll call vote, we would win," the organization says. "In the 12 hours since we started our campaign, Hemp Supporters sent more than 7000 emails urging defeat of the amendment. On the ground, our lobbyists and our Board members, working closely with other industry groups -- including diligent work from Americans for Healthy Alternatives and the Midwest Hemp Council -- held dozens of meetings with committee members who were able to understand the nuances of the issue. Three Members of Congress spoke up at the hearing denouncing the amendment."

"We had been assured on several occasions by committee staff and the Chairman personally that they would not support any effort to kill the hemp industry. But unfortunately, the decision was made by the Chairman to use a procedural tactic to avoid a separate vote on the issue. And that resulted in passage of a deeply flawed and deeply objectionable policy," the organization says.

"Although we lost today's battle, the war is far from over. The Farm Bill will be sent to the floor of the House where its passage this year seems unlikely. Even if the House should pass the Farm Bill, the differences between House Republicans and Senate Democrats are considerable at this point. And even if the major issues dividing the parties are resolved, we continue to have many friends in both branches on both sides of the aisle who will work with us to defeat this hemp-killing language."

"It's critical that the hemp industry remain united and steadfast, and we are proud to continue to work with 32 other non-profit organizations to protect the future of all forms of hemp," they conclude.

For more information:
U.S. Hemp Roundtable
www.hempsupporter.com