(MENAFNEditorial)
SARANAC MI--Michigan Hemp Company will work hand-in-hand with its founder Joe Brown and his organic farm to grow hemp on a limited basis in 2015 said CEO Adam Benge.
While Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed House Bill 5440 in January allowing Universities and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to grow industrial hemp for research Brown says that alone will not be enough to get a viable pilot program started.
"The industrial hemp I am growing is only .3% THC but without clear guidelines from the state on hemp I am forced to continue to treat it as medical marijuana continuing to follow all the regulations for that" said Brown. "We are reaching out to conservative law makers and the Michigan Committee on Agriculture to help them establish clear guidelines for the hemp research program." Michigan law currently allows individuals to grow 12 plants for themselves.
"With the right guidelines in place we will be able to reach our goal of cutting our imported hemp down to 50% in 2015" said Benge. "We are also working with Kentucky farmers and await our permit to launch our hemp seed sprout pilot program." Benge also said the company already holds a USDA license to produce hemp products.
President Obama recently signed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act 2015 specifically defunding the Department of Justice from interfering with industrial hemp research and development programs. Brown says this act along with bills recently introduced that if passed will lift all restrictions to grow nationwide should soon enable him to grow hemp commercially "in Michigan or another state if Michigan law makers refuse to work for the prosperity of Michigan farmers and businesses."
Until that day comes Brown says he will use the limited hemp he is able to grow under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act to quantify his strain and get his seed certified.
"Hopefully hemp bills (SB 134 and HB 525) get passed and signed into law before this spring so American farmers can receive a much needed boost nationally" said Brown. "I am optimistic that we can get a viable hemp program established here soon. But worst case scenario I will continue to further my own independent hemp research and benefit for the non psychotropic canabinoids of industrial hemp while reporting all my scientific findings to the organizations I work with across the world until we can grow our strain here in Michigan commercially."
Benge a graduate of Central Michigan University says he will contact his alma mater as well as Michigan State University to see if they would like to do research with one of the world’s highest concentrated cannabidiol (CBD) hemp strains.
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