Idaho Approves Hemp Transportation Across State

Good news for Oregon hemp Growers and Handlers!  Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an executive order aligning the state’s law enforcement activities with federal statutes to allow the transport of hemp across the state.

The Republican governor issued the order in the wake of the U.S. Department of Agriculture interim rule published on Oct. 31.

Gov. Little stated he had little choice but to sign the executive order as Idaho could be sued if they stopped a federally legal hemp shipment that was traversing their state.  He said Idaho law is in conflict with federal law and the executive order is needed to temporarily resolve the conflict until state legislators find a permanent solution.

Idaho’s anti-marijuana laws are so broadly written that they include hemp.

In January, Idaho authorities arrested a truck driver and seized nearly 7,000 pounds (3,175 kilograms) of what they believed to be marijuana, even though the company shipping the material said accompanying paperwork made clear the cargo was industrial hemp.

Hemp farming is not legal in Idaho, as the state has not passed hemp production legislation.