By Benjie Cooper
IG: @nuglifenews
YouTube: Lucid’s Vlog
A bill to permit industrial hemp farming in the state of New Jersey has been given final approval by the governor.
On Tuesday, Governor Phil Murphy signed A1330, a measure that instructs the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to create a pilot program for industrial hemp. The bill, which was introduced in January, passed the Assembly 67-0 in June before gaining the Senate’s final approval with a 33-2 vote in late September.
The new law will permit licensed parties to cultivate, possess, distribute, and buy and sell hemp in the state after passing a criminal history and background check and meeting other regulatory requirements.
Under A1330, The New Jersey Right to Farm Act will apply to the cultivation of industrial hemp, and the land used for production may qualify for taxation under the Farmland Assessment Act of 1964.
In accordance with federal regulations, any hemp that is produced in New Jersey must be under 0.3% THC. Licenses will be valid for one year from the date they are issued unless the DOA makes adjustments to account for the “normal growing season and reasonable harvesting, processing, and sale or distribution time.”
With the governor’s signing of A1330 on Tuesday, the law goes into effect immediately.
