HempCyberFarm North Dakota

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

Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 16:45:41 -0400
From: agfuture@kih.net
Subject: Industrial Hemp Legal in N. Dakota

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 19, 1999

North Dakota Becomes the First State to Legalize Industrial Hemp

Bismarck, ND - On Saturday, April 17, 1999 North Dakota's Governor Schafer signed HB 1428 legalizing industrial hemp by decreeing, "any person in this state may plant, grow, harvest, possess, process, sell, and buy industrial hemp." On April 12, 1999 North Dakota's Senate passed industrial hemp bill HB1428 by a landslide vote of 44-3. The week before, the House passed the bill by 86-7.

The Commissioner of Agriculture will now be developing regulations needed to implement the law which allows North Dakota farmers to legally grow industrial hemp.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) now must address the system of regulating industrial hemp in the U.S.

To full text of the new law is located at: <http://ranch.state.nd.us/LR/text/BILL_INDEX/BI1428.html>

90606.0100     INTRODUCED
90606.0103     Adopted by the Agriculture Committee
90606.0200     FIRST ENGROSSMENT
90606.0201     Adopted by the Agriculture Committee
90606.0204     Prepared by the Legislative Council staff for Senate Appropriations
90606.0205     Adopted by the Conference Committee
90606.0206     Adopted by the Conference Committee
90606.0300     FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Senate Amendments
90606.0400     FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Senate Amendments
90606.0500     FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Conference Committee Amendments
90606.0600     FIRST ENGROSSMENT with Conference Committee Amendments

For further information contact:
Gov. Ed Schafer (701) 328-2200

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HEMP BILLS BECOME LAW IN THREE STATES

Hemp legislation introduced in North Dakota, Montana, and Virginia became law early this year.

Montana House Resolution No. 2 requests the federal government to repeal restrictions on the production of industrial hemp. The resolution passed by a vote of 95 to 4 and became law on February 19, 1999.

North Dakota Senate Bill 2328 permits the University of North Dakota to undertake research on the production and processing of industrial hemp. The bill became law upon the governor's approval on March 15, 1999.

Virginia House Joint Resolution No. 94 urges Congress to permit the controlled, experimental cultivation of hemp in Virginia. The House approved the measure by a vote of 76 to 23, and the Senate later endorsed the measure unanimously. The bill became law on February 18, 1999.

House Bill 1428 (Monson, Kelsch, Nichols)

Permits the development of a licensed, regulated industrial hemp industry in North Dakota.

http://ranch.state.nd.us/LR/text/BILL_ACTION/BA1428.html

This House passed this bill on February 12, 1999 by a vote of 79 to 11. The bill now awaits action before the Senate Appropriations committee. HempCyberFarm urges all North Dakota activists to contact their senators and urge them to support this legislation. For help identifying the name of your North Dakota representative and senator, or for full text copies of the bills and current status, please call: (701) 328-2916 or visit the North Dakota Legislature's web site at:

http://www.state.nd.us

House Concurrent Resolution 3038 (Monson, Johnson, Nowatzki, Sen. Heitkamp)

A resolution of the North Dakota Legislature urging Congress to acknowledge the difference between the marijuana plant and hemp, and authorize farmers to begin commercial production of hemp. The House passed this measure on February 17, 1999 by a vote of 89 to 8,
and the Senate is expected to approve the measure this week.

http://ranch.state.nd.us/LR/text/BILL_ACTION/BA3038.html

Date: Jan. 30, 1999: In North Dakota, HB 1256 , which would remove hemp from the states list of "prohibited noxious weed seeds," has already been approved unanimously by the Agriculture Committee. The sponsor of the bill is Rep. Dave Monson (R-Osnabrock) who has sponsored successful hemp legislation in the past. Chris Conrad, author of "Hemp: Lifeline to the Future" told the WOL, "we expect that legislators in North Dakota will be raising the issue a lot."

N.D. Hemp Supporters Look North

From: GDaurer GDaurer@aol.com
To: Multiple recipients of list drchemp@drcnet.org
Subject: N.D. Hemp Supporters Look North
Date: Thursday, March 19, 1998 10:03 AM

March 19, 1998

N.D. Hemp Supporters Look North

By JOHN MacDONALD

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - Canada's decision to let farmers grow industrial hemp after a 60-year ban could provide just the political pressure needed to persuade American regulators to lift their ban as well, hemp advocates say.

A North Dakota lawmaker who wrote legislation to study hemp's potential as a cash crop says he doesn't expect the federal government to change its mind overnight.

``But I think if it turns out that hemp is a viable crop that our farmers could make some money with, certainly there would be a big push down here to be allowed to grow it as well,'' added state Rep. Dave Monson of Osnabrock.

Canadian Health Minister Allan Rock said last week that farmers in that country will be allowed to grow industrial hemp commercially in 1998. Production will be highly regulated and permits will be required.

Industrial hemp fiber is used to make everything from paper, rope and clothing to plastics and medicine. Several states are considering allowing farmers to grow the crop.

In making the announcement, Rock said hemp farming has ``tremendous potential'' for creating new jobs and boosting the agriculture economy of the country. Supporters of legalized hemp farming say there is a $30- million-a- year market for hemp products in North America.

It is that potential that hemp advocates fear U.S. farmers will miss out on if regulators here don't revoke the growing ban.

Canada and the United States banned hemp farming in the late 1930s because of its close association with marijuana. Hemp is a member of the cannabis family that includes marijuana. While the plants appear similar, hemp contains only minute traces of the substance in marijuana that gives smokers their high.

Still, law enforcement agencies oppose legalizing hemp production because of the difficulty in telling the two plants apart.

Hemp advocate Floyd Boutrous of Bismarck, whose sons operate a hemp clothing maker in San Francisco, said U.S. laws prohibiting hemp are archaic.

His sons, for instance, must import pre-made fabric from other countries where hemp production is legal.

North Dakota State University researcher David Kraenzel said there is no shame letting Canada enter the hemp market first.

``There's advantages and disadvantages to being first,'' said Kraenzel, who is leading the North Dakota State University hemp study provided by Monson's bill.

``There's nothing wrong with being what I call the lead producer, but there's nothing wrong with being the lead follower, either. Let those who can afford to make mistakes lead the way,'' added Kraenzel, associate director of the university's Institute of Natural Resources and Economic Development.

Kraenzel's study is an attempt to determine whether hemp would be a viable alternative crop in North Dakota, should the federal government ever make it legal.

The probe will include an analysis of possible markets and the availability of production and processing facilities. A final report is due by August.

Monson said he is eager to see the report and plans to watch what happens in Canada very closely.

``Whatever Canada can do with it, we can, too,'' he said. ``If they can find a way to make it work economically, there's nothing to say that we can't do the same.''

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

House Bill 1305 is sponsored by Representatives Monson, Olson and Nichols., and Senators Heitkamp, Sand and Thane. The bill requires the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station to provide a report to the legislative council before August 1,1998 on the feasibility and desirability of * industrial-Hemp production in the state.(also see virtual-market section; funds needed for research)

North Dakota State Capitol
600 East Blvd.
Bismarck, ND 58505
(701) 328-2000
phone center (701) 328-3373
e-mail: notes.dmonson@ranch.state.nd.us
e-mail: notes.jheitkam@ranch.state.nd.us

North Dakota Industrial Hemp Study Becomes Law
This article was contributed by HempWorld Journal

Legislation to require North Dakota State University agricultural experiment station to study the feasibility and desirability of industrial hemp production in the state overwhelmingly passed both the House (53-30) and Senate (44-2), and was signed into law by the governor on March 23.

The measure HB 1305, introduced by Rep. David Monson (R-Osnabrock), states that the study must include an analysis of required soils and growing conditions, seed availability, harvest methods, market economies, environmental benefits, and law enforcement concerns. The study need not necessarily involve growing test plots of industrial hemp, and as such will not directly challenge the federal ban on hemp agriculture.

Ellen Komp reporting for HempWorld Journal

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.