Charlie Greer Running For Agriculture Commissioner

Democrat Charlie Greer is running for Agriculture Commissioner against incumbent Mike Strain, touting his 20 year career in the Ag Department, and time in law enforcement.

Greer says if elected he would push hard for the regulated production of industrial hemp, and hemp adjacent products to jump start the state’s lagging Ag.

“I’m running because I want to revitalize the struggling agriculture industry in Louisiana, and I want to advocate for the legislation and support of the growing of industrial hemp, as well as the CBD component in it.”

Greer previous ran for the office in 2015, finishing with 30 percent of the vote.

Greer is blasting Strain for a series of medical marijuana delays, but Strain says he’s just following the law and ensure the product is safe for consumption before it hits the shelves. Greer isn’t buying it, and says Strain had years to get the program together.

“There’s 33 states around the US that have medical marijuana, and in three in a half years look at the plans they have in place.”

Strain denies impeding medical cannabis progress, and recently granted approval for the growth of the first crop. Greer says the delays have been unacceptable, and proof that the commissioner is not surrounding himself with competent regulators.

“People of the state have spoken, they want it, and it is a total travesty that he owns, he owns it completely. There’s just no other way to put that.”