Hemp Stakeholder Engagement Needed

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry sent this bulletin at 08/23/2021 08:10 PM EDT

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Hemp Program

Backgound

LD 33--An Act To Improve the Laws Governing Hemp by Bringing Them into Compliance with Federal Law--became a Resolve directing the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) to seek additional input from stakeholders on the future of the state’s hemp program. LD 33 was intended to change current Maine law so that Maine’s hemp licensing program could align itself with USDA requirements by the January 1, 2022 deadline. 

Stakeholder Information Gathering Meeting (SIGME)

DACF Hemp Regulators (Gary Fish and I) will hold SIGMEs as a method to gather input from hemp growers and others invested in Maine's hemp industry. SIGMEs are informal meetings where we can have a conversation with stakeholders. By December, we are required to produce a report to the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF) Committee of the Maine Legislature using the information we gathered at SIGMEs, which will help inform the Committee if they want to follow through with the USDA required rules or not.

Participate in a SIGME

Below is our schedule for SIGMEs. Because of Covid-19, there is uncertainty about whether in-person gatherings will take place. 

  • Tuesday, August 31, 3-5:00 pm. This is a virtual meeting to be held on the Teams platform. It is very accessible by anyone that uses the Chrome browser (meeting link). There will also be a call in option (audio only) is +1 207-209-4724. Phone Conference ID: 488 377 702#
  • Thursday, September 9, 5-7:00 pm. MOFGA sponsored Farmer to Farmer event with a SIGME at Sheepscot General Store in Whitefield. Registration through MOFGA is required.
  • Saturday, September 25, 3-4:00 pm at MOFGA's Common Ground Country Fair (CGCF) in Unity. Go to the Litchfield Stage. We will start with a general presentation about hemp. If needed, we will continue the SIGME conversation with interested parties beyond 4 pm and outside the presentation space. There is an entrance fee to attend the fair. Stay tuned to updates about CGCF. 
  • [Tentative] Tuesday, October 12, 3:30-5:00 pm. This is an in-person meeting at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension York County Office in Springvale. However, we're not sure this can take place given the latest surge in Covid-19 cases. We will publish an update in late September about this SIGME. Registration will be required as seating will be limited.

Questions?  Concerns?  I'm happy to help. Mary