HempCyberFarm Minnesota

Hemp Cultivation in Minnesota?
The situation in Minnesota: For other articles see events page or answer 20.

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura to President Clinton: "Let Us Grow Hemp!"

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura sent a personal letter last week (9/30) to President Clinton urging him not to allow government to "stand in the way" of Minnesota farmers set to apply for federal permits to grow industrial hemp.

Farmers across the nation have been devastated by low commodity prices and, in response, the Minnesota legislature passed a law this year directing the governor to prepare an application for authorization of experimental hemp crops.

Federal regulations, however, require individual farmers rather than states themselves to submit such applications, so on November 19, Governor Ventura's office will hold a seminar to walk farmers through that process.

In the letter, Ventura touts hemp as a "potentially lucrative" alternative crop to wheat, corn and soybeans. "Industrial hemp has a number of uses, ranging from construction materials and cosmetics to papers and textiles" the letter says. "According to a study completed by North Dakota State University's Institute for Natural Resources and Economic Development, retailers sold $75 million in hemp products in 1997. That figure is estimated to grow to $250 million by next year."

The letter further points to the competitive disadvantage created by the federal government's ongoing resistance to legalizing hemp, telling President Clinton that "Our neighbors in Canada are ahead of us in the effort to establish industrial hemp as an alternative crop for farmers."

Minnesota Third State to Pass Hemp Legislation

From: hemp-talk@hemp.net
Subject: Rep. Phyllis Kahn: Minnesota Third State to Pass Hemp Legislation
Date: Wednesday, June 09, 1999 6:39 PM

Pub date: June 4, 1999 The Minnesota Legislature has passed a bill paving the way for growing experimental and demonstration plots of industrial hemp in the state, according to State Representative Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis). Rep. Kahn was chief author of the language that was incorporated in the House Omnibus State Government Finance Bill.

"It was an uphill battle, but in the end I was able to persuade my colleagues to include this provision in the bill,” Rep. Kahn said. "Our farmers are facing an incredible financial crisis, and as a result our rural communities are dying. They need to be able to diversify, and adding hemp into their crop rotation is just one option. The hemp bill we passed this session, that Gov. Ventura signed into law, is the first step toward legalization of growing hemp.”

Under the new law, by Sept. 30, 1999, the governor, in consultation with the commissioners of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Economic Development will submit an application for federal permits, as may be needed to authorize the growing of experimental and demonstration plots of industrial hemp, by Sept. 30, 1999. The governor shall also direct the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety and other appropriate commissioners, to establish standards and forms for persons wishing to register for growing experimental and demonstration plots of industrial hemp.

Anyone with questions please contact: Rep. Phyllis Kahn, 255 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55155-1298, (651) 296-4257.

**** hemp-talk - hemp-talk@hemp.net is a discussion/information *** list about hemp politics in Washington State. To unsubscribe, send e-mail to majordomo@hemp.net with the text "unsubscribe hemp-talk". **** For more details see http://www.hemp.net/lists.html

A major effort is underway to push hemp legislation through various state governments.

Senate File 122 passed the Senate on March 11, 1999, by a vote of 54 to 4. The bill now awaits action by the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture. With the support of Gov. Ventura and several members of his cabinet, there is an excellent opportunity that Minnesota may become the first state to permit its farmers to begin growing hemp again as a cash crop. Please call or write your representative now to urge his/her support for this measure.

Senate File 122 (Moe, Sams, Beckman, Berg, Scheevel)

Permits the development of a licensed, regulated industrial hemp industry in Minnesota

http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us

Date Jan. 30, 1999: In Minnesota, lawmakers introduced hemp bills in both chambers of the legislature. State senate majority leader Roger Moe (DFL-Erskine), is the author of SF0122, which if enacted, would, "Classify hemp as an agricultural crop subject to regulation and registration by the [MN] commissioner of agriculture." This would allow people to apply to the commissioner to grow, "experimental and demonstration plots of industrial hemp." On the house side, Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis) is the chief sponsor of HF0064, which is a companion to the Senate bill. Kahn told The Week Online, "Industrial Hemp is an important issue for an agricultural state like Minnesota. Minnesota was a large hemp producer in World War II. We've seen a dying base of knowledge about hemp -- and that brings an urgency to passing this bill."

A similar bill passed in both the Minnesota House and Senate in the last legislative session, but was vetoed by then-governor Arne Carlson. Newly inaugurated Governor Jesse Ventura has made several positive statements about hemp, but obstacles still remain. "A new hurdle [for the bill] is that Republicans now control the house," says Rep. Kahn, "and they voted in their last party caucus to oppose hemp legislation.

The most difficult obstacle in the way of any state wanting to grow hemp is the response of the federal government. "We obviously need the cooperation of the federal government." Stated Rep. Kahn, "Right now we are in a Catch 22 -- the feds won't move until the states move but when states do act, its somewhat meaningless until the feds come around."

Conrad largely concurs with this sentiment, "The big question is who is going to plant it in the soil. Whichever state does this is going to have a lawsuit from the federal government."

Despite these roadblocks, Conrad is still optimistic about the future of hemp in America, and expects more political candidates to be "hemp-friendly" in the next election cycle. "The more people continue to dislike Congress -- the better our chances of success in the 2000 elections."

Sponsored by:
Rep. Phyllis Kahn
State Office Bldg. Rm 367
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (612) 296-4257
e-mail: rep.phyllis.kahn@house.leg.state.mn.us

Sen. Roger Moe
Capitol Bldg, Rm 208
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (612) 296-2577
e-mail: sen.roger.moe@senate.leg.state.mn.us

Any news Minnesota?

Do you know more about this? e-mail us at Matthew@HempWorld.com

*Industrial-Hemp has no psychoactive properties following definition of the European Economic Community (EEC); THC content is less than 0.3%. In general, low THC-seed varieties without psychoactive properties are those that have a THC content of less than 1%. (See also No-THC Hemp-seed.) THC= Delta-9 TetraHydroCannabinol.