HELENA – The Montana Department of Agriculture has received a verified petition from 25 Montana hemp growers to create the Montana Hemp Advisory Committee.
A Friday press release states the MDA will hold two listening sessions to receive input regarding the proposed checkoff committee.
The meetings will give growers the opportunity to learn about upcoming changes to the Montana State Hemp Program due to the 2018 Farm Bill.
Growers can also hear about the process of establishing a commodity advisory committee and provide input regarding a proposed assessment and method of collection, according to the press release.
Producers at the meetings will vote to determine whether to hold a referendum by paper ballot of all known hemp growers in the state.
If that referendum passes, MDA will propose a hemp research and market development program for adoption by administrative rule.
The first hemp listening session will take place on January 31 in Sidney at the MonDak Heritage Center located at 120 3rd Avenue Southeast at 10 a.m.
The second listening session will be on February 7 in Helena at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Sanders Auditorium located at 111 North Saunders at 9 a.m.
