Rep. Kay Alexander (R-Montrose) will introduce an agricultural fibers act to the state legislature. The bill will include research and test plots of industrial hemp, kenaf, and sunn hemp. The bill has not yet been drafted, so the details have yet to be worked out. The first hearing on the bill will be at the end of January or early February.
When State Senator Lloyd Casey introduced the Colorado Hemp Production Acts of 1995 and 1996, one of the biggest concerns from legislators was that there were no markets for hemp. Despite the growing number of hemp businesses in the U.S., legislators remained skeptical about the potential markets for hemp. They viewed hemp as a specialty crop with no firm market demand.
To combat this misconception, CO-HIP is requesting all HIA members and others in hemp industry to write letters of support for industrial hemp to Rep. Alexander. She can then use those letters to educate skeptical legislators and prove there is a market for hemp.
**** The support of existing hemp industries is essential to the passage of this bill. *****
Please mail or fax your letters to:
Representative Kay Alexander
State Capitol Building
200 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: (303) 866-2955
Fax: (303) 866-2291
For general information on Colorado bills Public Bill Room: (303) 866-3055
Your letter can be very simple. It would be enough to merely state you support research into industrial hemp and would be willing to buy Colorado hemp once it is available.
If you have more time, the following would be informative to add to your letter:
2) Please, send copies of your letters to CO-HIP so we can keep track of the comments being made and use the letters in our educational campaign.
(CO-HIP, P.O. Box 729, Nederland, CO 80466)
Thank you for your support!!!!
(Letters from others are also welcome.)