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Monday, October 09, 2017

Why Are Hemp Farmers Fed Up with Federal Seed Laws?

Even though the cultivation of industrial hemp is now legal for research and development purposes in a number of states, farmers who are trying to revitalize the American hemp industry are facing myriad legal issues related to the acquisition of their most important resource: viable hemp seeds. These issues stem from the fact that although states may have legislation for growing industrial hemp, it is still illegal under federal law. For no reason that any sane person can comprehend, industrial hemp — with THC levels below 0.3% — is still classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.

For farmers, the problems start with finding sources of certified seed to plant. Because hemp has been illegal in the US for decades, there are practically no American sources for hemp seeds. For the few, small quantity domestic suppliers who exist, interstate shipping of seeds is so heavily regulated that it is virtually impossible to move them across state lines.

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

and u have doctors against that and pot too. hurts their bottom line

Anonymous said...

Canada has had industrial hemp production since 1998. Just the harvested seeds from one acre, not including the stalk and leaves, yields about $1200 net (net, not gross) profit per crop. Soybeans, for example, currently yield a lot less ($500-700/acre before expenses), require pesticide, herbicide and manufactured fertilizer use with extensive application costs, sap the soil of nutrients, and do little to curb soil erosion with their shallow root systems. Hemp requires little to none of these, and its deep root system and stalk stubs remain in the ground to improve the soil.

Anonymous said...

Think of all of those farmers who are granted hundreds of millions in subsidies to NOT grow crops, everything from corn to soybeans, to "adjust" the market. If those acres were planted in hemp, there'd be few losers, if any, as the price per acre is higher than subsidy grants and the government would not have to waste the millions in grants.

lmclain said...

Interstate transportation is a problem?

What???

10,000 seeds fit into a freezer bag. It doesn't weigh much more than a pound or so and fits under the car seat.

What's the problem, again??
Oh, right.
Old government officials who still think it will turn people into werewolves and make their daughter want to have sex with black musicians.
Pot is the same as heroin??? And they wonder why citizens don't respect them? Might as well tell us that M&M's are more dangerous than cocaine.
They really bad thing is some of these same "kill all drug users!" sirens are going home and hitting a joint before they go to bed. You may not believe it, but that's a fact. Jack.
Maybe even "your guy".
keep cheering.

Anonymous said...

There's not a logical reason in the world for any doctor to oppose industrial hemp production. It has no psychoactive chemicals in it. Smoke a pound of it and all you'll get is a headache and a wheeze.

Anonymous said...

It's not pot!! Just like the mushrooms in your soup aren't psilocybin magic mushrooms.