Committee considers hemp bill that keeps 0.3% THC limit and adds remediation paths

Rep. Rhett McCabe summarized HB 325 to the committee as a statutory update aligning Alaska’s industrial hemp program with the 2018 federal farm bill and reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on small producers. "Industrial hemp is an agricultural crop, not marijuana, and it should be regulated accordingly," McCabe said.

McCabe said the bill requires federally compliant testing methods, maintains the 0.3% THC standard, and preserves a 1% destruction threshold consistent with federal practice. The bill would prioritize remediation and compliance for samples between 0.31% and 1% rather than automatic destruction, a change the sponsor said would protect farmers who lose crops to accidental cross‑pollination.

Witnesses including Sarah Williams (Sacred Seed Foundation), Lindsay Poole and farmer Hannah Stratton testified in support and explained the practical concerns behind isolation distances, cross‑pollination and harvest timing. Williams said cross‑pollination can raise THC levels unintentionally and that remediation options are important so farmers are not forced to destroy entire crops after a single adverse test. The Plant Material Center in Palmer was identified as a potential partner for seed certification.

Committee members questioned the 1,000‑meter isolation distance, the 30‑day harvest window after sampling and whether statute should specify distances or leave details to department rulemaking. McCabe said many marijuana grows in Alaska are indoors and the statutes aim to avoid unnecessarily penalizing hemp producers.

Public testimony was closed; the sponsor said the amendment deadline remains open (previously set April 30 for an earlier bill discussion) and the committee set HB 325 aside until Friday for further consideration.