Young Americans for Liberty at the University of Tennessee hosted an event on Industrial Hemp in Tennessee.  The Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation earlier this year that made it legal once again for farmers to grow hemp. Check out this video of the local media coverage we earned!

State Senator Frank Niceley was the key speaker at the event. YAL members were not the only ones in attendance. The event drew a variety of people to hear Senator Niceley speak. Local farmers were also there to find out more about the legislation. Many in Tennessee are expecting that hemp farming will generate many jobs in Tennessee.  The Hemp Industries Association sent a representative to attend the event.

When Governor Bill Haslam signed the bill into law, Tennessee immediately received national attention. As the Tenth Amendment Center noted, there was one word that made the legislation the strongest in the entire country. That one word is "shall."  The bill reads, “The department shall issue licenses to persons who apply to the department for a license to grow industrial hemp.”

Many topics were discussed as the event went on. Senator Niceley told how far Tennessee has come in the past couple years.  Federal Agents have been raiding businesses selling raw milk for the past couple years, especially in California. This won’t happen in Tennessee thanks to the work of Senator Niceley.  Another topic discussed was Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s). Students had many questions and concerns about GMO’s at the event.

The event succeeded at educating students and members of the community. Young Americans for Liberty also received media coverage from WATE News in Knoxville along with the Daily Beacan, a campus newspaper.