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Plainsman1963

North Dakota aims to be first state to license hemp farmers
05-02-06 | Agriculture.Com

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson proposed rules yesterday to license farmers in his state to grow industrial hemp under existing state law.

He will hold a public hearing on the rules June 15 in Bismarck, prior to publishing final rules later this year. "Ratification of these rules is an important step in the process of enabling farmers to grow and sell this potentially valuable crop," Johnson said in a press release. "We already have legislation in place that puts North Dakota well ahead of other states in working to legalize production of industrial hemp."

Johnson said that since 1999, the state legislature has passed several significant bills related to hemp cultivation. These proposed rules would implement that legislation. He cautioned, however, that ratification of the rules will not legalize industrial hemp production in North Dakota. "The final decision is a federal matter," he said. "It is very likely that some congressional action will be necessary to bring about a major change in federal policy."

In February, Johnson and agriculture commissioners from three other states met with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials in Washington, D.C., to explore acceptable rules on industrial hemp farming. The meeting was the first of its kind between hemp-friendly policymakers and the DEA, which has threatened to prosecute anyone who grows non-psychoactive hemp in the U.S.

Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana and West Virginia have also passed pro-hemp farming laws, but North Dakota's rules would afford the first opportunity for individuals to seek federal permits for state-sanctioned commercial hemp production. The Hawaii law did allow a researcher to obtain permits to grow and study industrial hemp there from 1999 to 2003.

In order to become licensed to grow commercial hemp, the proposed rules would require that North Dakota farmers consent to a criminal background check, agree to document all sales, provide GPS coordinates for hemp fields, and agree to plant hemp that contains less than three-tenths of one percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The industrial form of hemp contains only trace amounts of the psychoactive drug THC found in marijuana, although DEA does not currently distinguish industrial hemp apart from marijuana. The proposed rules may be viewed online here.

"Industrial hemp is now cultivated on a large scale in Canada, since the ban was lifted there nine years ago," Johnson said. "The crop obviously could do well in North Dakota." More than 50,000 acres in Canada are planted to industrial hemp.

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) is widely grown around the world and is used in the manufacture of textiles, papers and rope. The seed is also used for food and feed, and oil derived from the plant is used in cosmetics, paints and medicinal compounds. It was grown in the U.S. until federal regulations prohibited it 50 years ago.

"We are pleased that North Dakota is pursuing a common sense hemp policy by issuing hemp farming regulations," Eric Steenstra, president of non-profit organization Vote Hemp said in a release. "How can a raw material that's legal to import, to sell, to eat and to use in all kinds of everyday products not be legal for farmers in America to grow? No other agricultural commodity is restricted to just importation."

Steenstra's group aims to change current law to allow U.S. farmers to grow low-THC industrial hemp, and is working to shift federal regulation of industrial hemp from the DEA back to the USDA.

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Tweed Master

I find it very encouraging to see things moving along. When the United States is finally aloud to grow hemp, I think it would be a further step to legalizing cannabis altogether also. Now I realize that by saying that, I just confirmed one of the reasons why it is still illegal, but it is the truth. Sure, I wouldn't care if hemp didn't promote decriminilization, but Hemp is much more enviromentally friendly and that is a-ok with me. Not to mention we would be able to prevent lots of tree's from being cut down and etc...

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Sec

Not to mention the jobs it would create. North Dakota is already "worker poor". There are many more jobs in North Dakota than workers to fill them. Especially construction positions. Adding additional farming options and value added manufacturers can only help the economy even more. North Dakota, they say, has the potential to be the energy producer of the nation (wind, petroleum, coal, hydro, etc.). The problem is there is not enough transmission lines to carry the energy out of the state to the rest of the nation. Maybe if they build manufacturing plants in North Dakota to process any hemp produced, they won't need to export all the energy produced there.

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Plainsman1963

Oh, I agree. I think Hemp would be the first step in a dominoe effect.

They are right when they say "such and such" legalization attempt is just a foot in the door for entire cannabis legalization.
I look at it this way...They have lied about it's medical properties. They have lied about it's harmful properties. They have lied about it's agricultural worth properties.

Each time a chink is revealed in any arena (hemp, medicinal and recreational) it makes it that much harder for them to hold their convictions on all the other ones.

If this current energy (read oil) crisis continues, Bush Administration in office for two more years, we (as a whole) may finally be fed up in the near future to actually open up the market for Hemp.
And that's the beginning of the end of the ball game. It's the bottom of the ninth, the fat lady is singing...

They have to keep screaming "save the children", "slippery slope", etc. They realize how tenuous their grasp on this whole subject is.

dedbr

Huh?

The DEA plowed the Sioux's hemp twice. And the reservation is supposed to be a soveirgn nation.

Like this jerk the Argricultural Commisioner is going to take the credit for this after what the Indians have been thru...


And what gets me is it's the same state! Like the Sioux forgot all about it or something.

This is pitiful. I wonder if those poor people on the reservation get to grow first.....


Somewhere in Ded Land....

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Sec

In North Dakota, the Indian Council Members have been busy defending themselves in court for misappropriation of public funds among other things. Yes, the Ag Commissioner should take credit for this one.

I have seen the "hemp" fields first hand. I see what the Native Americans in North Dakota have to offer as a productive society. My friends at the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) have told of the true story. Please don't comment on what you don't know for a fact. Also, keep on topic.

p.s. "Jerk" is a bit strong. In North Dakota, agriculture is everything.

dedbr

Like the two are related?

One has to do with growing hemp and the other has to do with a low life stealing money.

A thief is a thief. What's that got to do with growing hemp, partna'?

Sec

The Native Americans have gotten what they deserve, nothing more, nothing less.

dedbr

or an opinion...... ?

Little Nicky

I pity the poor fool who tries to grow any kind of good smoke around that hemp field.