Tagged: James Comer

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer tweeted Monday that an industrial hemp bill will get a hearing this week in the House Agriculture Committee.

Industrial hemp supporters are ratcheting up the pressure to force a vote on a stalled bill that would allow farmers in Kentucky to grow the crop if federal ban is lifted. A group led by state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer urged House Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom McKee Thursday to allow a vote on the bill. The group included a prominent northern Kentucky tobacco farmer who lives in McKee's district.

Kentucky's agriculture leaders are supporting a new five year strategic plan to help the industry in the state.

The plan, put together by the Kentucky Agriculture Council, puts emphasis on agriculture education, creating new markets and recruiting new people to farming.

The industrial hemp debate will resume in Frankfort later this morning.  A bill seeking a pilot project for hemp in Kentucky will be discussed in a Senate committee.  Carrying the ball for putting hemp in farmer’s fields is Agriculture Commissioner James Comer.

 “We find new uses every day for industrial hemp," he says. "It’s a green crop.  It’s something that is replacing plastic in the automotive industry.  You can make paper with industrial hemp, textiles, cosmetics and lotions, bio fuels.”

Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner says comprehensive immigration reform would have a tremendous impact on the state’s farmers and livestock producers. James Comer says if it weren’t for immigrant labor, many Kentucky farmers wouldn’t be able to harvest their crops.