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AP Story Proves Value of Hemp Farming
01.21.07|summitdaily.com|Stan White

It was encouraging to read "Man Aims To Become Licensed Hemp Farmer" (Jan. 15) on the Summit Daily News website's AP section about David Monson in North Dakota who may be allowed to grow hemp (though he has to be fingerprinted and pay the Drug Enforcement Administration's annual registration fee of $2,293, which is non-refundable even if the application is denied).
Encouraging, because U.S. farmers have been prohibited from growing hemp since World War II, when the U.S. government needed American farmers to produce hemp to help save America due to its value for human survival.

Since the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco effectively ended the Federal Government's attack on hemp food products in 2004, Americans may now purchase hemp products, yet American farmers are excluded from cultivating the plant. Locally, citizens may purchase hemp food products available at Alpine Market in Frisco, although the hemp in those products must be imported.

American farmers are unable to compete in the free world market due to unfair DEA laws prohibiting hemp cultivation. The U.S. is almost the only developed nation that doesn't allow its farmers to grow hemp. In fact, communist Chinese farmers grow hemp (nearly 2 million acres), and neighboring Canada's hemp industry doubled last year where hemp had a better profit outlook than any other Canadian crop in 2006.

Although hemp seeds and oil contains Gamma Linolenic Acid, which contributes to a strong immune system and is only available from five obscure places including mother's milk, hemp cultivation isn't limited to food products. Hemp should and could get more attention as an alternative fuel especially considering the original diesel engine was designed to run on hemp seed oil.

Currently American hemp cultivation is gaining support from all political parties and since hemp can grow almost anywhere including harsh climates like Canada and North Dakota; it can grow in Colorado.

It is time to re-introduce hemp as a component of American agriculture and to help achieve that goal, citizens can request congressmen support American farmers and hemp cultivation. Urge Congress to refuse funding the DEA's enforcement actions against law-abiding, state-licensed industrial hemp growers as these bills may arise this summer.

Eastern Colorado farmers may even consider supporting Amendment 44 type election ballot questions in the future, which legalize cannabis (marijuana / kaneh bosm) since it stands to reason, if citizens may use cannabis with THC then farmers may cultivate hemp with practically no THC. Further, farmers might consider how the Federal government has unfairly treated them and support hemp farming.

To allow ignorant politicians to continue prohibiting hemp farming isn't leading, it's draining; vote for politicians who get it and do what is right for America, Earth and our solar system.