cannabisnews.com: Hemp Bill Heads for Schwarzenegger's Desk





Hemp Bill Heads for Schwarzenegger's Desk
Posted by CN Staff on August 25, 2006 at 06:51:35 PT
By Tom Ragan, Sentinel Staff Writer
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel
Watsonville -- Wine grapes move over. Strawberries watch it. Salinas lettuce, you may be a top moneymaker now in the Salad Bowl of the World, but don't let that turn your head. California-grown hemp could crop up as a contender.Farmers aren't sowing their fields with hemp seeds just yet, but a few Pajaro Valley growers, along with the county Farm Bureau, are hoping Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs a bill that would permit farmers to grow hemp legally.
Translation: A year from now the fiber in that cool hemp sweater that you buy could come from a field in California — as opposed to Canada, China or Europe.The bill, known as AB 1147 or the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act, is headed for the governor's desk, where it will be vetoed or signed by late September, the governor's press office said Thursday.Advocates of legalization like Vanessa Bogenholm, a Pajaro Valley strawberry farmer, said she believes the governor will sign the bill into law — if only because he hasn't expressed opposition to it in the past."It's amazing that the time has finally come where growers will be able to legally grow hemp if they want to," she said. "We need other alternatives, other choices, other options. And that's the point of all this."But it could run into some problems like medical marijuana."The legislation, which passed by a 2-to-1 margin in the Assembly a week ago, was inspired by the fact that United States manufacturers spend millions of dollars to import hemp from such countries as Canada, China and Europe.The demand for hemp is everywhere — in the chic clothing found in alternative stores in cities across the country, in body lotions and ointments that protect skin from aging, in snack bars at nutrition stores and in paper.Last year, the product accounted for $270 million in annual retail sales, according to hemp advocates.Did you know that the Declaration of Independence was actually signed on paper made of hemp?That's some of the information being touted by advocates trying to show hemp has been pervasive and accepted in the past, and how difficult it's been to pass a law giving California farmers an advantage when overseas competition is tough.The problem, they contend, is that hemp has long been confused with its illegal genetic cousin, marijuana — which contains the psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.Under the proposed legislation, only ultra-low-THC industrial hemp can be grown, and it can be produced only as an agricultural field crop or in a research setting.Backyard or horticultural cultivation is not allowed. Any clandestine grove of cannabis would be considered marijuana, regardless of its THC content.Steve Bontadelli, president-elect of the county Farm Bureau, said any crop that can make farmers cash is "welcome" as far as the bureau is concerned."But it's not going to appear overnight," he said. "It's going to take time to figure out where to grow it, and how best to grow it, and under what conditions."Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)Author: Tom Ragan, Sentinel Staff WriterPublished: August 25, 2006 Copyright: 2006 Santa Cruz SentinelContact: editorial santa-cruz.comWebsite: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Vote Hemphttp://www.votehemp.com/Ag Hemp Bill Headed To Governorhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22091.shtmlAssembly Sends Hemp Bill To Governorhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22088.shtmlBill Would Allow Hemp Farming in Californiahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22072.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by The GCW on August 25, 2006 at 21:05:17 PT
"Wine grapes move over"
"Wine grapes move over"That's part of the problem.The wine grape group and even more the hops people don't want the competition any more than Dupont wants compettion from hemp as a textile!Ironically!!!Hops are a member of the hemp family; isn't that right.???Now lets go further...One of the things the Colorado Initiative 44, individuals are bringing up is that cannabis is a safer alternative than booze... AND SO, We are likely to see the boozer bunch like Bush beer people use their profits to fight like hell to stop that competition.That's along with the junkets of John PEEEEEE Walters types coming into beautiful Colorful Colorado and ruining Our view.With additonal green, Colorful Colorado will be that much more COLERFULLLLL.Ironicadditionally, Colorado already has the highest low elevation in the country... In case You just tuned in,Colorado's Initiative 44 will allow adults to have up to an ounce of cannabis.Is history about to change?Heck, that may even allow free Colorado farmers to grow hemp with out THC.DANKANK,I love it:"water it and step the f*ck back ..."
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Comment #2 posted by Dankhank on August 25, 2006 at 09:26:14 PT
where and how?
plant hemp damn near anywhere you like, plant in mounds or other proven ways from around the globe, water it and step the f*ck back ...
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Comment #1 posted by mayan on August 25, 2006 at 07:58:03 PT
Schapelle Corby's Last Appeal 
Corby's last hope: video that does not exist:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/corbys-last-hope-video-that-does-not-exist/2006/08/25/1156012739210.htmlAustralian drug smuggler on Bali island launches final appeal:
http://tinyurl.com/hnsgn
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