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LEGISLATURE Buckley's hemp bill killed by Oregon Senate Josephine County growers say Ashland legislator targeted them Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 6, 2015 at 5:08 PM Posted Jul. 6, 2015 at 5:08 PM » Social News from the Grants Pass Daily Courier and Associated Press Oregon state senators on Monday voted down a bill putting a two-year hold on the development of a hemp industry, a measure that was seen as prioritizing marijuana ahead of hemp. The bill's failure came as lawmakers worked to wrap up the session and return home. The measure was strongly supported by Oregon's marijuana industry, which is looking to expand with the rise of a legal market for recreational use of the drug. Hemp is a non-intoxicating version of the plant that produces marijuana. It has a variety of uses, including food and textiles. Pot farmers who grow their crop outdoors fear that hemp plans will pollinate marijuana plants, reducing the drug's quality and intoxicating effects. With the bill dead, the 13 people with permits to grow hemp can go forward with their plans, and none will have to dig up their crops. The bill's critics said the Oregon Department of Agriculture, not lawmakers, should decide where hemp can be grown. "I have a little bit of a concern with the Legislature getting into the business of telling farmers what crops they should produce," said Sen. Lee Beyer, a Portland Democrat who voted against the bill. "We ought to leave it to professionals." The vote came as a relief to two Josephine County commissioners and other investors in a Murphy-area industrial hemp farm that is likely the first of its kind in the state. They contend the bill, whose chief sponsor was Ashland House Democrat Peter Buckley, would have put them, and only them, out of business. Buckley has been a strong proponent of marijuana legalization efforts. Buckley denied that House Bill 2668 was targeting anyone or giving preference to marijuana growers over hemp growers, saying he was trying to pave the way for industrial hemp farms to flourish in the state. The hemp moratorium bill passed 53-6 in the House Thursday. "We're not trying to target local investors in the Grants Pass area," said Buckley. "We're trying to get the hemp program set up legally." The proposed law would have banned new hemp farming permits in Oregon until 2017 while a committee could establish recommendations for the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Buckley said the delay would have given the state time to conform to federal guidelines regarding industrial hemp, as well as to research ways to address fears of cross pollination between benign hemp and its more potent kin, marijuana. But Cherryl Walker, a Josephine County commissioner, and other partners in a company called Orhempco called foul, saying they already had crops in the ground and were close to harvest. One of Walker's business partners is fellow county Commissioner Simon Hare. The Orhempco farm is on property owned by Walker and her husband, Martin Hill, about 10 miles south of Grants Pass. It is about 900 feet from Hidden Valley High School in Murphy. Local real estate agent Cliff Thomason, who operates the farm on behalf of Orhempco, said Buckley added an amendment aimed directly at killing the Orhempco operation after learning where the farm is located. The amendment in question prohibits an industrial hemp operation within 1,000 feet of a public school. "That 1,000-foot rule, Buckley's office put that in after he found out where I had my grow," Thomason said. Another investor in Orhempco has an even stronger opinion about Buckley's intent. "(Buckley) appears to be targeting a single company that may have an advantage by having the first crop in Oregon," said local businessman Kit Doyle, who also owns a medical marijuana dispensary called Nature Scripts in the Murphy area. "We're 30 days away from harvesting our first crop," Thomason added. Buckley conceded the amendment with the 1,000-foot restriction came well after Orhempco planted its crop, but said the only reason for the distance requirement was to make sure Oregon law conforms with federal law. "Hemp is cannabis, the same plant as marijuana, and the feds, for whatever reason, have as part of their requirements that it can't be grown within 1,000 feet of a school," Buckley said. The amendment was added to ensure Oregon hemp laws are not in conflict with federal laws, he said. However, Doyle takes exception to that. "That's a ridiculous argument and it was done in an effort to put Orhempco out of business," Doyle charged. Doyle said he legally grows medical marijuana and he is aware of marijuana farms that are within 1,000 feet of public schools. "The whole state is out of compliance if they want to follow the federal law," he added. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 6, 2015 at 5:08 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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