The Hemp Report

     A lot has happened in the world of hemp since our last issue. One item, the passage of H 267, the hemp farming bill, by the Vermont House was truly stunning. The vote was an amazing 126 to 9, well more than veto-proof. Passage of the bill was insured by the hard work of many people, especially the agriculture policy non-profit Rural Vermont. If you are a Vermont resident and you have not done so already, please write to your House representative and thank them for passing H 267.

     On the other hand, things are not going as well in Wisconsin for their hemp study bill, AB 146. The Assembly Committee on Rural Economic Development voted 9-0 last year to recommend passage, and the bill was carried over to this year. The bill is having a rough time getting a floor vote, however, and this is the last term for the bill's sponsor, Rep. Gene Hahn.

     The best thing to do is to write a postcard to Assembly Speaker Michael Huebsch and Assembly Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald and respectfully request that AB 146, the hemp study bill, get a vote on the floor of the Assembly. Please, no phone calls or emails. Wisconsin residents, see our Action Alert for more information and to take action.

     In North Dakota, prospective hemp farmers, State Representative David Monson and Wayne Hauge, have filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit of their case against the DEA that was dismissed in District Court last November. Scientific evidence clearly shows that industrial hemp, which includes the oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis that would be grown pursuant to North Dakota law, is genetically distinct from the drug varieties of Cannabis and has absolutely no use as a recreational drug.

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