Alert: California Could Be First Us State To Return To Industrial Hemp Farming

A bill in the California Assembly could bring traditional hemp farming back to the United States. Although industrial hemp is commonly used for making products in the U.S., it cannot be legally grown by domestic farmers. These laws contrast early America when farmers were legally bound to grow hemp during the Colonial Era and Early Republic, due to the plant's versatility. Often confused with marijuana, industrial hemp is actually a very different plant and contains insignificant levels of THC (tetrahyrdocannabinol), the chemical in marijuana that results in psychotropic effects. Industrial hemp, which can be grown easily without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, can be used to make paper, textiles, bio-fuel, nutrition supplements and fiberboards. Hemp fields clean the air and the soil, and hemp products can be recycled and composted. Industrial hemp production has been illegal in California since 1972. Now there is a bill that would let farmers grow the hemp that is currently imported from other countries. AB 1147, the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act, must pass out of the Assembly by the end of January in order to be considered by the Senate.
If you are a California resident, please take action now: http://www.organicconsumers.org/cahemp.htm

Organic hemp seed, oil, flour, and protein are ingredients in ice cream, bread, energy bars, waffles, granola, coffee, beer, veggie burgers, pretzels, pasta, protein powders, and salad dressings. The shelled hemp seed is 33 percent protein, providing all essential amino acids, and 44 percent â??goodâ?� fat, providing all the essential fatty acids in the nutritionally optimal 1:3 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. It also contains vitamin E, magnesium, iron, and manganese. Businesses using organic industrial hemp to make omega-3 rich foods and moisturizing body care products are booming, with annual retail sales of hemp food up 50% from an estimated $8 million in 2004 to $12 million in 2005.

Uncultivated industrial hemp still sprouts up in the farming regions of California, a remnant of the stateâ??s hemp-growing past, but our state laws no longer permit industrial hemp to be cultivated here. Although it canâ??t be farmed, state and federal law does allow industrial hemp to be imported. AB 1147 would just allow farmers to grow whatâ??s already legal to import and sell.
Based on the experience of farmers in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, and taking into account the economics of agriculture in California, farmers here could make at least $700 profit per acre growing industrial hemp. Californiaâ??s warm climate coupled with hempâ??s short growing cycle would allow hemp to be grown as a soil-improving cover organic crop for strawberry farmers and others. California farmers should be able to participate in this lucrative market.

Please support California's farmers and agriculture by supporting AB 1147.

http://www.votehemp.com/CA_action_alert.html

:)

so this means are local hemp prices will drop?

probablly^
it's just a good thing in general

The cannabis plant is a American past time. flags, constitutions, levi jeans used to be made of hemp. Ironic the first point to making it illegal wasnt because of pot users.

The 20th century illegalizing hemp/cannabis has produced major benefits for big buisiness. Why grow a few acres of hemp for textile when its more profitable to tear down trees for paper and create synthetic fabrics. You dont even have to farm trees, there sitting there in the way of highways.