Farmers File Federal Lawsuit Over Hemp

[LeighAnn]

Source: AP via Forbes

Two North Dakota farmers have filed a lawsuit to grow industrial hemp, a cousin of marijuana used to make everything from paper to lotion, without interference from federal drug agents.

The lawsuit filed by Dave Monson, a state legislator who farms near Osnabrock, and Wayne Hauge, a farmer from Ray, is backed by Vote Hemp, an industrial hemp advocacy group.

In February, Monson and Hauge were issued the nation's first licenses to grow industrial hemp, which falls under federal anti-drug rules.

The state licenses are essentially worthless without permission from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, and the farmers could be arrested for growing the crop.



Read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/06/18/ap3831467.html

[snappyturtle]

1. More power to the farmers! I hope they are arrested so this

ridulous DEA rule is brought out into the light. Industrial hemp and pot are not the same thing. At one time farmers were required to grow some hemp....so versatile, it's ridulous we're not marketing it.....the Canadians are growing it! Go for it!

[donsu]

4. agree - hope more farmers follow suit

nt

[snappyturtle]

6. Just talked with my sister in law in ND.

I brought this up and she said the farmers are doing this for exactly the reasons I stated! YEAH! Hope this stupidity ends once and for all.

[Blue Gardener]

2. Good for Them!

It's absurd that they can't grow a crop that is so versatile.

[Blaze Diem]

3. Things will change ONLY when ADM gets its corporate hemp

fields up & running and that will happen as soon as their lobbyists have their say over the laws which will govern its growth, & distribution.

k&r
and..hope these two farmers fight a good fight.
Maybe if Al Gore was President,...a visonary..wish them best of luck.

[mainegreen]

5. Why can the FDA regulate industrial hemp?

Can they regulate growing forests because you can hide pot plants under the foliage? Isn't that their logic: you can hide the plant amongst the industrial plants?
The FDA doesn't seem to have the same concern about breadseed poppies.

[Vinca]

7. Why on earth should it be necessary to get a license to grow

industrial hemp?? Just because 2 plants are from the same family tree (as it were), doesn't make them the same. There's a store in town that sells hemp clothing. The last time I checked, people weren't lined up to buy shirts to smoke.