MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Agriculture

By: Senator(s) Ross, Thames, Harvey, Stogner

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL PRODUCTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI TO CREATE A THREE-YEAR PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED AT THE CENTER IN THE AREA OF MEDICINAL PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS TO THE SMALL FARMER IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO REQUIRE THE CENTER TO FILE A REPORT WITH THE LEGISLATURE AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE THREE-YEAR PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The National Center for the Development of Natural Products at the University of Mississippi, hereinafter referred to as the "Center", is authorized to create a three-year program to improve the transfer of technology developed at the Center in the area of medicinal plants and plant products to the small farmer in the State of Mississippi. This program shall consist of research and development to identify medicinal plants that can be grown on small farms in the State of Mississippi, and shall also develop processes that can be conducted in the State of Mississippi to add value to medicinal plants.

(2) The Center shall select not more than four (4) medicinal plants as candidates for a pilot study to demonstrate that they can be successfully cultivated in the State of Mississippi through one (1) to two (2) growing seasons. The medicinal plants will be selected based on specific, relevant criteria, such as: the potential to be grown and managed on small Mississippi farms, the start-up costs and the long-term market demand. The Center will identify the perceived barriers to the introduction of these new crops.

(3) The Center shall also undertake a project within this program to carry out value-added development research on no more than two (2) medicinal plant-derived products or processes. The Center will examine the chemistry and biology of selected medicinal plants and then identify high-yield quality plant lines, determine the best conditions for harvesting, post-harvest processing and storage to obtain optimal chemical profiles and biological effects, investigate potential markets for medicinal plant products, and carry out crop improvement studies of a genetic and agronomic nature. This information will be used to provide the basis for developing additional medicinal plant products and for use in developing a medicinal plant processing industry in the state.

(4) The Center shall file with the Legislature after the three-year project is completed a report which shall state the successes and failures of the program. The report shall also contain a determination of the economic impact of the program to the state, and of whether or not any additional capacity has been created for on-farm production of these new medicinal plants on small farms in the state, as well as, whether or not any additional or new processing industry resulted in the state from this program.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.