A northern Wisconsin tribe has reached a settlement with the state’s attorney general over its plans to grow hemp.
The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin filed the federal lawsuit in February against state Attorney General Brad Schimel, saying he objected to the tribe’s plans for processing hemp.
The parties reached an agreement that allows the tribe to oversee hemp production to produce cannabidiol, or CBD oil, on reservation lands, St. Croix tribal attorney Jeff Cormell told Wisconsin Public Radio.
The settlement says Wisconsin won’t interfere with a tribal ordinance that governs a control program and regulatory body to oversee hemp cultivation and processing. The tribe also agreed to notify the state of any changes to its ordinance.
“That as long as the tribe is only dealing with hemp, that the state will not exercise any jurisdiction,” said Cormell.
Cormell said the tribe hopes to generate new revenue for housing, health care and law enforcement with its hemp production plans.
“New streams of revenue are always needed and definitely this is something that St. Croix is looking at as a new, very lucrative area to provide additional funds to help support tribal membership,” he said. “That being said, the tribe is also a large believer that CBD oil has significant health benefits.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a purified form of CBD last month to treat seizures associated with severe forms of epilepsy.
A Wisconsin Department of Justice spokesman didn’t return a request for comment by the newspaper on the settlement.
