AKWESASNE — The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe says draft regulations have been developed for governing the cultivation of hemp under the Tribe’s jurisdiction. The draft regulations are now available for a 30-day period for tribal members to submit written comments.

In December 2016, tribal voters were posed with the referendum question: “Should the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe explore options to legalize, license and regulate the cultivation, production and distribution of Industrial Hemp? Sixty-six percentof tribal voters approved the Tribe’s exploration into hemp production; with 353 “Yes” votes, 180 “No” votes, and 4 spoiled ballots.

The U.S. Congress removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act in 2018, which was followed by the USDA issuing regulation in October 2019 that enabled tribes to establish their own hemp production plans. As a result, the Office of the General Counsel has developed Draft Hemp Production Regulations for exercising the Tribe’s authority to regulate the cultivation of hemp.

In accordance with the 2013 Tribal Procedures Act, the draft regulations are now available to review during a 30-day comment period for public input and feedback. Tribal members need to submit their written comments by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021.

A copy of the Draft Hemp Production Regulations is available for membership to view on the Tribal Members Portal located on the Tribe’s website, at www.srmt-nsn,gov. The draft regulations are also available upon request from the Tribal Clerk’s Office, Office of the General Counsel or the main reception desk at the Ionkwakiohkwaronon Tribal Administration Building.

Written comments can be submitted by email to the Tribal Clerk’s Office at tclerk@srmt-nsn.gov or mailed to:

Re: Draft Hemp Production Regulations

Office of the Tribal Clerk

71 Margaret Terrance Memorial Way

Akwesasne, New York 13655

At the conclusion of the comment period, the proposed regulations will be adopted through a Tribal Council Resolution, with a least two of the three chiefs voting in favor. It will then be sent to the USDA for approval prior to implementation.