Industrial Hemp

[Tom Trail <ttrail@moscow.com>]

Visionaries:


 An article in the Tribune recently appeared concerning my bill to legalize
industrial hemp.  I've
received more than 50 calls on this subject.   Since there is considerable
interest in the subject
I thought it best to share a position paper on the subject.   Industrial
hemp has
>over 25,000 uses.   The first Levi Strauss jeans were made from hemp and
>the first U.S.
>constitution and the Declaration of Independence were printed on paper
>made from hemp.  Hemp
>was legal tender in the U.S. from 1631 to the early 1800s.
>
>It would give our farmers a good alternative crop.   It is environmentally
>friendly requiring no
>fertilizer, herbicides, or pesticides,   It is a good rotation crop with
>no weeds in the field following
>harvest.  The deep root penetration is favorable for soil conditions.   It
>makes excellent
>cover for game birds and wild game.   Canadian farmer are growing about
>60,000 acres.  Hemp
>seed production runs about 800-1,000 pounds per acre with the current
>contract price at U.S.
>50 cents.  With minimum inputs we're looking a very viable alternative
>crop for farmers.  Hemp
>can produce up to 10 tons of fiber per acre or about 4 times more than an
>acre of timberland.
>If enough acres of hemp were grown it might serve as a replacement for
>some of our forestlands.
>The long hemp fiber is especially sought for high grade paper and the hemp
>paper is an excellent
>recycable material.  High grade carpet is made from industrial hemp as
>well as car parts by BMW.
>High energy candy bars are made from industrial hemp seed and are low fat
>in content.   Most
>bird seed contains industrial hemp hulls which contain 25% protein.  Other
>uses include cosmetics,
>facial oil, building materials, bioenergy uses, and fuel to run trucks and
>tractors.
>
>Pat Takasuga, Director of the Idaho Department of Agriculture, his staff
>and I met on Thursday.
>We agreed to draft a bill.   The bill patterned after proposed North
>Dakota Legislation will be more
>comprehensive than the legislation already adopted or being debated by 10
>other states.  I'm
>calling the bill The Bast Fiber and Alternative Crops Bill.  Industrial
>Hemp is a member of the
>Bast Fiber group (which includes jute, flax, etc.)  The Department of
>Agriculture is responsible
>for setting the rules and regulations at any point a new alternative crop
>is introduced into Idaho.  These require legislative approval.   If the
>above bill becomes law then it will save the DOA
>a considerable amount of time in moving ahead with the farming community
>in ensuring that
>we can introduce new crops following all of the legal procedures.  It may
>save up to a year of
>legislative time.   I call it "jump start" legislation.   Industrial Hemp
>is but on of those new
>alternative crops that might be considered.   There will also be an
>appropriate component of the
>bill that places responsibility on the Director in terms of following all
>of the legal restrictions
>imposed say by DEA on the growing of Industrial Hemp.   We also have a
>section outlining
>the research role of the College of Agriculture at the University of Idaho
>in terms of any alternative
>crops.
>
>There appears to be some cracks on the horizon in terms of legalizing
>industrial hemp.   DEA
>recently granted a permit for a coop in Hawaii to grow 10 acres of
>industrial hemp as a trial.
>The Canadian experience is proving to be at the onset very successful as
>they go into their 3rd
>year of production.   I understand that Sen. Larry Craig's Senate Ag
>Committee will hold hearings
>this year on the possible legalization of growing industrial hemp.   Part
>of the proposal would be to
>put it under the control of USDA.   USDA would then collaborate through
>MOU's with State
>Departments of Agriculture to ensure a uniform standard and policy for
>growing, licensing,
>testing, and monitoring the growing of the crop.   Currently no one can
>grow industrial hemp
>without a permit from DEA.
>
>I believe that the Canadian example might well be the model to follow.
>An organization called
>Health Canada controls the licensing and monitoring process.   Interested
>farmers pay for an
>application to grow industrial hemp.   Their field coordinates are noted
>and receive a geo positioning
>fix and are monitored by satelitte.  Only certain types of hemp seed can
>be planted.  4 weeks
>after planting inspectors monitor the field, pull a certain number of
>plants, and take tissue samples
>Plants are also pulled about two weeks before harvest and tissue samples
>are taken.   Tissue samples
>are tested for THC.  If the THC in the samples tests too high then the
>field cannot be harvested.
>The Canadians seem to have this well under control.
>
>DEA seems to almost paranoic that marajana growers will plant their
>patches in the middle of
>an industrial hemp field.   The Canadians report this is not a problem
>since the fields are regularly
>monitored both by satelitte and inspectors.   It would also appear that
>those wanting to find a
>place to plant marajana would select a more suitable hiding place than one
>under constant
>inspection.  Although I've not been able to verify it,   it may be able to
>"finger print" different
>types of hemp using aerial flights with infrared technology.   This could
>be another way of
>ensuring that only industrial hemp was in the field.
>
>The Farm Bureau and several of the Idaho Associations of Small Farmers are
>in favor or the
>legislation.   I've been contacted by several small business who have to
>import hemp.  They
>would like to have access to local and cheaper domestic sources.   We
>currently important about
>$75,000,000 worth of hemp into the U.S.   World wide trade in industrial
>hemp exceeds a billion
>dollars.   The U.S. Government encouraged the growing of industrial hemp
>during World War
>II and there may have even been a subsidy program.
>
>In conclusion,   the legislation would be one of the steps needed to help
>our farmers grow.
>a viable, alternative crop.   Breeding and testing work will be needed,
>but we can borrow genetic
>technology from our Canadian friends.    The development of marketing
>studies and that of the
>necessary infrastructure would all be challenges to ensure the future
>success of any alternative
>crop.   There will be an interesting debate over this issue.
>
>Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 5
>

Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
1375 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel:  (208) 882-6077
Fax:  (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail@moscow.com