HEMP BEVERAGE ALLIANCE MEMBERS JOIN MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS TO PUSH BACK AGAINST FEDERAL HEMP BAN
Minnesota lawmakers held a press conference today to voice their concern over the federal hemp ban that will cost thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state.
Minnesota U.S. senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee) and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (co-chair of the House Cannabis Caucus) vowed to fight for federal legislation that would regulate and strengthen the hemp beverage industry.
“This is about jobs. It’s about our small businesses, our breweries and our farmers,” Klobuchar said, adding that hemp -infused products have brought in $16 million in Minnesota state tax revenue through September this year.
“While the ban doesn’t go into effect for a year, every day we fail to address this is another day of uncertainty in a very uncertain time in our economy.”
The lawmakers were joined by HBA members Ryan Kopperud of Birdie & Wild State Cider, Bob Galligan of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, and Omar Ansari of Surly Brewing Company who all expressed their concerns about the current legislation that could effectively close the hemp beverage industry in one year’s time without new federal regulations.
