Sheriffs’ Association objects to industrial hemp bill
The Idaho Sheriffs’ Association is asking the Idaho Legislature to shelve a bill that would legalize production of industrial hemp.
House Bill 122 is under consideration in the House Agriculture Affairs Committee. In a news release Tuesday, Association President, Kootenai County Sheriff Ben Wolfinger said, “marijuana in any form is not an Idaho value.”
But, while the sheriffs call industrial hemp a “proverbial camel’s nose under the tent with growing of marijuana,” bill sponsors said it would permit a “lucrative alternative crop in Idaho’s thriving agricultural economy.”
The association contends the proposed legislation does not provide adequate safeguards for testing agricultural hemp for meeting standards set by the bill itself and the federal government. The Sheriffs say that without necessary testing, as well as a method of paying staff to monitor and conduct testing, the bill is incomplete.
While the bill would limit THC concentration to .3%, the association says there is no provision for testing to ensure compliance. The Sheriffs’ Association contends there are no field tests that can perform necessary analysis, even at Idaho State Police Forensic Laboratories.
The legislation does propose a first year budget of $100,000 to allow the State Department of Agriculture to coordinate planning efforts with potential growers, processors, and State Police to develop a compliant plan in time for the 2020 growing season. Sponsors said ongoing costs would be offset by grower, transporter and processor fees.
