HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
REP. JULIE ALEXANDER
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
10:30 AM
Room 326, House Office Building
The House Standing Committee on Agriculture was called to order by Chair Alexander.
The Chair requested attendance be called:
Present: Reps. Alexander, Meerman, LaFave, Eisen, Mueller, Wendzel, Elder, Coleman,
Garza, Cynthia Johnson, Witwer.
Absent/Excused: None.
Representative Wendzel moved to adopt the meeting minutes from September 4, 2019. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HR 0104 before the committee:
HR 0104
(Rep. Gay-Dagnogo)
A resolution to memorialize the
United States Department of Agriculture to recognize
industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity and to
take certain steps to remove barriers to encourage the
commercial production of this crop.
Chair Alexander explained proposed substitute (H-1) to HR 104.
Representative LaFave moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HR 104. The motion prevailed 11-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Alexander, Meerman, LaFave, Eisen, Mueller, Wendzel, Elder, Coleman, Garza,
Cynthia Johnson, Witwer.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Gay-Dagnogo, joined by Margeaux Bruner, representing the Michigan Cannabis
Industry Association, testified in support of HR 104 as substitute (H-1).
Ron Bates, representing Michigan State University Extension, provided a presentation regarding
Industrial Hemp and reviewed the following topics: History and Regulation; Uses and Markets;
and Agronomy.
The Chair returned to HR 104.
Peter Behncke, representing Michigan Industrial Hemp, LLC, testified in support of HR 104 as a
licensed hemp grower and processor.
Jesse Riggs, representing Michigan Hemp Industries Association, testified in support of HR 104.
Questions and discussion followed.
Representative Gay-Dagnogo, Margeaux Bruner, Ron Bates, Peter Behncke, and Jesse Riggs, all
approached to answer questions from committee members.
The following people submitted a card in support of HR 0104, but did not wish to speak:
David Worthams, representing the Michigan Bankers Association.
Representative Elder moved to report out HR 0104 with recommendation, as substitute (H-1).
The motion prevailed 11-0-0.
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Alexander, Meerman, LaFave, Eisen, Mueller, Wendzel, Elder, Coleman, Garza,
Cynthia Johnson, Witwer.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
There being no further business before the committee, Rep. Julie Alexander adjourned the
meeting at 11:36 AM.
Representative Julie Alexander, Chair
Dakota Soda
Committee Clerk
dsoda@house.mi.gov