Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • March 11, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 15 REGISTER › BIKEMS.ORG OR TEXT BIKEMS TO 68686* SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE WINDSOR JUN 2, 2019 JUN 23, 2019 STAMFORD/FAIRFIELD COUNTY CTN_bikeMS_2019_ad_stamford/windsor_vertical_2-19_FINAL.indd 2 3/4/19 11:17 AM staff at UConn are cultivating, test- ing and studying modest amounts of hemp, which, unlike marijuana, has low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), so it can't get you "high." The educational-hemp program is per- mitted for land-grant universities. In 2014, Congress authorized states to grant farmers limited hemp-growing permits for research, but Connecticut farmers have been left on the sidelines due to a lack of support from the state legislature, and because attempts to allow it here didn't meet federal guidelines. That's why farmers remain wary that lawmakers, who seem to be warming up to industrial hemp, will again let them down. DoAG has spent hundreds of hours over the last six months developing legislation and regulations that align with requirements set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). "Despite everyone's very best inten- tions to set this up, the state and fed- eral law [haven't aligned]," Bowsza said. "What the governor has put forward would make sure that state law com- ports with federal law so we can do this right under the 2018 Farm Bill." Hemp pitches Besides Lamont, hemp advocacy this year is being spurred by a bipartisan mix of lawmakers in Hartford, including House Minority Leader Themis Klarides (R-Derby), Sen. Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), Rep. Timothy Ackert (R-Coventry) and Rep. Kathleen Mc- Carty (R-Waterford). However, not all are in agree- ment about which legislative path to take. There are currently four hemp proposals circulating in the state legislature, but some lack funding and other necessary language to run proper hemp-cultivation programs, said DoAG Acting Commissioner Melody Currey, who, alongside the state Department of Consumer Pro- tection, favors Lamont's proposal. "Recognizing that there is interest in establishing a hemp program in Connecticut this legislative session, we strongly urge the committee to sup- port the governor's bill," Currey said in recent testimony before the Environ- ment Committee. "This language has considered all of the necessary compo- nents to establishing a hemp program in Connecticut." Lamont's bill allocates $136,000 in startup costs to fund new DoAG hires who would support hemp testing, including ensuring the crops meet federal THC-level requirements. That's important because the line between hemp and marijuana is thin: Hemp contains 0.3 percent or less of THC, and anything over that thresh- old is considered marijuana. Additional DoAG staff is the first step in getting the state's hemp pro- gram moving, said Hurlburt. "The [governor's budget] added staff and funded the program, so it has a real chance to get up and running," he said. "It's great recognition that he agrees this can be a reality this year, and that could be part of his legacy." Some program details Lamont's plan sets a course for the state to license hemp cultivation in 10-acre increments. Farmers would not be capped on the amount of acre- age that could be used for hemp culti- vation, and there is no tax associated with its sale. Farmers registering for labels that have hemp as an ingredi- ent would incur a licensing fee. But even if lawmakers approve Lamont's bill, that alone won't jump- start hemp farming in Connecticut. The state must submit an enforce- ment plan to USDA for review and approval in consultation with the U.S. Department of Justice. It would also be required to adopt regulations on hemp cultivation to implement the statutory language under the governor's bill. Typically, states begin developing an enforcement plan and regula- tions after a bill passes. But given the urgency in Connecticut, DoAG has been drafting both simultaneously to streamline the administrative process as quick- ly as possible. Don Tuller, president of the Connecticut Farm Bureau, said it's crucial for local farm- ers to get in on the hemp business now while CBD prices are still high. A farmer's return on investment will only worsen the longer Connecticut waits to get a measure passed. Tuller, who co-owns Tulmeadow Farm in West Simsbury, plans to test hemp growing for CBD oil extraction, but said the crop isn't easy to culti- vate. That's especially true because there are no programs in place to teach farmers how to deal with the insect or disease process when har- vesting industrial hemp. "It's kind of the Wild West in terms of if there is a problem," he said. "It's a complicated plant to process." But Tuller said lawmakers should still commit to the program as soon as possible — preferably before this spring's growing season — and final- ize the details later. Meanwhile, it could take some time before Connecticut sees full-scale hemp production. The USDA isn't expected to finalize its regulatory framework until 2020. That's why the state is first seeking to establish a pilot program, which is seen as more likely to receive federal approval in the near term. "We are hoping that will allow for some cultivation this year," said Bowsza. Joe Courtney, U.S. Congressman (D-2nd District) Bryan Hurlburt, Executive Director, Connecticut Farm Bureau

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