SCHUMER STATEMENT ON OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING OF CANOPY GROWTH’S FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND $150M HEMP INDUSTRIAL PARK, SITED IN THE HEART OF BROOME COUNTY & BRINGING 400 GOOD-PAYING JOBS AND INDUSTRY GROWTH TO THE REGION

Schumer Has Been A Leader At The Federal Level In Creating A Permissible Pathway For The Commercial Cultivation Of Industrial Hemp, Paving The Way For Major Economic Development Projects Like This To Take Root; Worked Closely With Agricultural And Industry Stakeholders To Pass Legislation

Schumer To Canopy: Welcome To The Southern Tier And The Forefront Of The Industrial Hemp Revolution!

Binghamton, N.Y. – U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today released the following statement after attending the groundbreaking celebration for Canopy Growth’s $150 million industrial hemp industrial park, which is expected to bring at least 400 good-paying jobs to the Southern Tier and position Broome County at the forefront of the rapidly emerging hemp industry:

“Today’s celebration is exactly why I fought so hard to pass legislation to remove the burdensome federal shackles from industrial hemp production. This major Canopy Growth investment will create at least 400 good-paying jobs in Broome County, with the potential for hundreds more, and is proof positive that the seeds we have sown preparing for this new industry are ready to harvest,” said Senator Schumer. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to officially welcome Canopy to the Southern Tier and break ground on this first-of-its-kind, economy-boosting hemp industrial park, which will position the region at the forefront of the industrial hemp revolution. I look forward to continue working hand-in-hand with this industry leader to help farm the massive potential of industrial hemp.”

Schumer has been a leader at the federal level in creating a permissible pathway for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity, paving the way for major economic development projects like the hemp industrial park to take root while also working closely with agricultural and industry stakeholders to pass his bipartisan legislation the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which was included in the bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill.

On the heels of the passage of this landmark legislation, Schumer called on industrial hemp leaders to consider the Southern Tier as an ideal spot for expansion into the industrial hemp industry.  And earlier this year he explained they heeded his call—announcing that Canopy Growth was poised to make a $125-$150M investment into the Southern Tier. Schumer explained that this project will bring 400 good-paying jobs to Broome County, with the potential to add many more as more industry-oriented businesses locate in the area, as well as position the Southern Tier at the forefront of the industrial hemp revolution.

The Schumer-backed Hemp Farming Act of 2018 was introduced by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), passed and signed into law as part of the 2018 Farm Bill, and does the following: 

• Removes industrial hemp from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act
• Empowers states to be the principal regulators of hemp
• Allows hemp researchers to apply for competitive federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Makes hemp farmers eligible to apply for crop insurance

Industrial hemp is a type of cannabis plant that is grown largely for industrial uses, but it can also be utilized for food, oil, and cosmetic products. Hemp contains a very small amount, typically between 0.2 and 0.3 percent of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and while from the same species of plant as marijuana, it has varied widely in use. However, due to the existence of THC in hemp, Schumer explained, both plants were considered “controlled substances” under federal law, meaning the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was the primary regulator for hemp production. Schumer argued that this narrow view has undermined the crop’s agricultural and economic potential. With the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 passed by Congress and signed into law last year, this unnecessary roadblock has been lifted, and industrial hemp’s significant potential to become a cash crop in Upstate New York’s will be unleashed. 

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