Industrial Hemp Lawsuit Dismissed in North Dakota

Now it’s up to Congress to act — An Associated Press (AP) report states that “A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against the government by two North Dakota farmers seeking to grow industrial hemp, which can be used to make a variety of products from rope to lotion.  The judge, Daniel L. Hovland of United States District Court in Bismark, said in his ruling on Wednesday that the best remedy might be to change the definition of industrial hemp under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, which does not distinguish the plant from the illegal drug marijuana.”
  To read the Vote Hemp report, Click Here. To read Judge Hovlan’s 22-page dismissal decision, Click Here.

Industrial Hemp Decision Near in North. Dakota

The court case pitting two respected North Dakota farmers against the U.S. Government’s DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) could resolve important questions about legalizing U.S. industrial hemp production as early as this week. The initial ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Dan Hovland will be on DEA’s motion to dismiss the farmers’ efforts to obtain DEA permission to plant industrial hemp next spring. DEA’s case appears to rest on the DEA contention that there is no distinction between marijuana and its distant cousin industrial hemp. If the judge rules that the two plants are in fact dissimilar, since industrial hemp is clearly non-psychoactive, legalization efforts would score a major victory. For full details of the court case, Click Here.
For a video of a press conference with the farmers and further background, Click Here.

CNN Highlights Industrial Hemp

A special CNN investigative report, historical timeline, and two video clips present a strong case for changing federal rules so that U.S. farmers can once again raise industrial hemp. The report shows that industrial hemp is now an economic success just across the border in Canada. The report notes that NAIHC board member Dave Monson and fellow North Dakota farmer Wayne Hauge have sued the DEA to overturn federal rules which ban industrial hemp as a U.S. crop. A hearing on their lawsuit is set for Nov. 14 in federal court.

Advances in Hemp Research

Offering up-to-date information on the uses and composition of the plant, Advances in Hemp Research provides growers, researchers, manufacturers, and suppliers with methods and data for the processing and cultivation of hemp for textile and paper products.

Kerr Testifies on Oregon Senate Bill to Re-legalize Industrial Hemp

Testimony on Oregon Senate Bill 348 to re-legalize industrial hemp in Oregon.
NAIHC member Andy Kerr’s testimony in Oregon Senate hearing, to explain how industrial hemp is not marijuana, how marijuana growers won’t want industrial hemp growing anywhere near their drug crop, and how most of the rest of the world distinguishes industrial hemp from marijuana.

DEA Blocks Spring Planting of Industrial Hemp in North Dakota

DEA Blocks Spring Planting of Industrial Hemp in North Dakota
North Dakota’s clearly frustrated Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson calls the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) failure to act on two farmers’ applications to grow industrial hemp “not unexpected but still disappointing.” He said “DEA’s latest response is a de facto denial of permission. If the applicants cannot have a decision in time to plant the crop, then the applications are meaningless. . . DEA has far more important concerns – stopping methamphetamine, for example – than continuing to prevent farmers from growing a legitimate crop. Industrial hemp should not be considered a drug because it cannot produce any psychoactive effect. Every other industrialized country in the world allows production of industrialized hemp. It’s really time DEA let the United States catch up.”  

DVD – “Hemp and the Rule of Law”

DVD – “Hemp and the Rule of Law” – http://www.tinroofvideo.com/page/page/5566214.htm
Now on DVD — a documentary by Kevin Balling premiered at the Asheville Film Festival and at the ARTIVIST Film Festival in Hollywood. The one-hour documentary traces hemp’s legendary past in U.S. agriculture and chronicles the heated debate to return the crop to American farmers.

Just Published in UK: Hemp for Victory

Kenyon Gibson’s new book Hemp for Victory: History and Qualities of the World’s Most Useful Plant,  is out in  paperback at $29.95, printed on tree-free hemp paper. Mina Hegaard of Minawear Hemp Clothing is one US distributor. Bulk orders can be made via Kenyon Gibson, or from the publisher’s site, www.whitakerpublishing.co.uk. More information is available on Kenyon Gibson‘s web site which includes a link to a recent Guardian article about hemp and the book.

2005 Industrial Hemp Farming Act Introduced in Congress

Industrial Hemp Farming Act Introduced in Congress
Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) has introduced the “Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2005” (IHFA). The 3-page bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to define “marihuana” as not including industrial hemp.

Industrial Hemp Offers Great Promise

For a comprehensive perspective on industrial hemp past, present and future, read the 43-page chapter “Hemp: A New Crop with New Uses for North America” in Purdue University’s Trends in New Crops and New Uses, edited by Jules Janick and Anna Whipkey.