Oregon Passes Hemp Bill

Becomes Sixth State in 2009 to Take Action

State Pressure to Grow Hemp Continues to Mount as Business Booms

SALEM, Ore., June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, by a vote of 46 to 11,
the Oregon House passed SB 676, a bill that permits production and possession
of industrial hemp and trade in industrial hemp commodities and products. "I
am glad that Oregon has joined the list of states that have agreed that
American farmers should have the right to re-introduce industrial hemp as an
agricultural crop," says SB 676 sponsor, Sen. Floyd Prozanski. "By passing SB
676 with strong bi-partisan support, the Oregon Legislature has taken a
proactive position to allow its farmers the right to grow industrial hemp, to
provide American manufacturers with domestically-grown hemp, and to profit
from that effort." The Oregon Senate passed the bill by an overwhelming
majority vote of 27 to 2 on June 19. Vote Hemp is optimistic that Governor
Kulongoski will sign the bill. Oregon would become the ninth state to
authorize regulated hemp farming under state law.

"The time has come for the federal government to act and allow farmers to once
again grow hemp, so American companies will no longer need to import it and
American farmers will no longer be denied a profitable new crop," comments
Vote Hemp President, Eric Steenstra. "Under current federal policy, industrial
hemp can be imported, but it cannot be grown by American farmers. Hemp is a
versatile, environmentally-friendly crop that has not been grown in the U.S.
for over fifty years because of a misguided and politicized interpretation of
the nation's drug laws by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). While a
new bill in Congress, HR 1866, is a welcome step, the hemp industry is hopeful
that President Obama's administration will recognize hemp's myriad benefits to
farmers, businesses and the environment," adds Steenstra.

Many businesses in Oregon manufacture, market and sell hemp products,
including Living Harvest, The Merry Hempsters, Wilderness Poets, Earthbound
Creations, Sweetgrass Natural Fibers, Sympatico Clothing, Mama's Herbal Soaps
and Hempire. Living Harvest of Portland was recently ranked the
third-fastest-growing company in Oregon, as awarded by The Portland Business
Journal's "Fastest-Growing Private 100 Companies" annual award.

"We are looking forward to the opportunity to invest in hemp processing and
production locally," says Hans Fastre, CEO of Living Harvest. "This bill
represents another step towards heightening the hemp industry's profile within
mainstream America and making hemp products more accessible to businesses and
consumers."

These Oregon-based companies have been on the leading edge of the growing hemp
food and body care markets, which are currently estimated to be $113 million
in North American annual retail sales by the Hemp Industries Association
(HIA). The HIA estimates the 2008 annual retail sales of all hemp products in
North America to be about $360 million. By allowing U.S. farmers to once again
grow hemp, legislators can clear the way for a "New Billion-Dollar Crop."

On June 9, with little fanfare, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed the Maine
hemp farming bill, LD 1159, into law. Maine's House had previously passed the
bill without objection, and the Senate later passed it by a strong vote of 25
to 10. The bill establishes a licensing regime for farming industrial hemp,
although the licensing is contingent upon action by the federal government.
Maine had previously passed a study bill that also defined industrial hemp.

During the 2009 legislative session, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and North
Dakota all passed resolutions or memorials urging Congress to allow states to
regulate hemp farming. Sixteen states have passed pro-hemp legislation to
date, and eight states (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North
Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia) have removed barriers to its production or
research. North Dakota has even issued state licenses to would-be hemp farmers
for two years running.

Vote Hemp is a national, single-issue, non-profit organization dedicated to
the acceptance of and a free market for low-THC industrial hemp and to changes
in current law to allow U.S. farmers to once again grow this agricultural
crop. More information about hemp legislation and the crop's many uses may be
found at www.VoteHemp.com or www.HempIndustries.org.

BETA SP or DVD Video News Releases featuring footage of hemp farming in other
countries are available upon request by contacting Adam Eidinger at
202-744-2671.

SOURCE Vote Hemp

Tom Murphy of Vote Hemp, +1-207-542-4998, tom@votehemp.com; or Adam Eidinger,
+1-202-744-2671, adam@mintwood.com, for Vote Hemp