cannabisnews.com: Farmer Fights To Grow Hemp on Reservation Farmer Fights To Grow Hemp on Reservation Posted by CN Staff on July 11, 2007 at 09:33:22 PT By Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Source: Associated Press Manderson, S.D. — Alex White Plume hoped his family could make a living growing hemp when he first planted seeds on an Indian reservation here, but years of fighting with federal drug officials have left him in financial trouble.The White Plume family planted hemp on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation from 2000 to 2002, but never harvested a crop. Federal agents conducted raids and cut down the plants because U.S. law considers hemp, a cousin of marijuana, to be a drug even though it contains only a trace of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, a banned substance also found in marijuana. “We had all these plans of grandeur and independence, to lead the way with industrial hemp,” White Plume said. “None of it worked out.”White Plume plans to sell much of his ranching operation this fall. He said he probably can keep his house and at least some of the buffalo that graze among the pine-dotted ridges that give the reservation its name. His horses, a truck with license plates reading “HEMP” and other equipment likely will be sold to pay off some of his debts.Even though White Plume lost a court case last year, he is ready to resume the cultivation of hemp if the federal government ever allows it. The plant, which is used to make rope, oils, lotion, cloth and other products, could help boost the economy of the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s poverty-stricken reservation, where unemployment is estimated to be as high as 85 percent, he said.In 1998, the tribe passed a measure legalizing the growing of hemp on the reservation in the southwest corner of South Dakota. The law should have been enough to allow hemp farming because of the sovereignty granted to the Lakota by treaties, White Plume said.He planted hemp on his land in 2000, planning to make money by selling the seed to others, but Drug Enforcement Administration agents cut down his plants a few days before he intended to harvest them. The DEA also seized plantings by his brother and sister.“All that left us in debt and demoralized, trying to figure out what to do because our sovereignty was directly attacked,” said White Plume, a former president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.He never was charged with a crime, but the DEA sued him and got a court order to bar him from growing hemp. He argued that the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 gave the Sioux the right to grow hemp.The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against White Plume, saying the treaty did not give tribal members the right to grow the plant. Hemp is subject to federal drug laws, which require a DEA permit to grow it, the court said.“We are not unmindful of the challenges faced by members of the Tribe to engage in sustainable farming on federal trust lands. It may be that the growing of hemp for industrial uses is the most viable agricultural commodity for that region,” the three-judge panel wrote.The court also noted that hemp is used to make many useful products, and the DEA registration process imposes a burden on anyone seeking to grow hemp legally.“But these are policy arguments better suited for the congressional hearing room than the courtroom,” the judges wrote.The best hopes for White Plume and other farmers who want to grow hemp are measures in Congress and North Dakota’s effort to get the DEA to issue licenses for the production of hemp, said his lawyer, Bruce Ellison.North Dakota has authorized hemp growing and issued the nation’s first state licenses to grow hemp, but the two farmers with the licenses could face legal problems without DEA permits. The DEA has not acted yet on the farmers’ applications, and the farmers filed a lawsuit last month asking a federal judge to let them grow hemp without being subject to federal criminal charges.Vote Hemp, an industrial hemp advocacy organization, says North Dakota is one of seven states that have authorized industrial hemp farming.White Plume said he and his family have gone through some tough times, particularly when they were uncertain whether they faced federal drug charges. He also had to endure jokes that implied he was growing a drug.“That was the hardest, hardest time,” he said.White Plume intends to spend his time working on environmental protection and treaty issues, such as an effort to regain the Black Hills that were taken from the Lakota more than 125 years ago.And if farmers ever are allowed to grow hemp, he’s prepared to plant another crop.“We didn’t give up our struggle,” White Plume said. “We still want to grow hemp and we still got all our plans in shape.”Source: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Chet Brokaw, Associated PressPublished: July 11, 2007Copyright: 2007 Associated Press PBS: Standing Silent Nationhttp://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/standing/CannabisNews Hemp Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/hemp.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #19 posted by potpal on July 13, 2007 at 10:15:24 PT link to pbs silent nation info http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/standing/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by Hope on July 11, 2007 at 20:39:25 PT Barr has hated us...and what we stand for. I hope no one smokes anything around him or offers him even a trace of a whiff.What he could do is cause people trouble. I'd like to trust him and think he's legitimate. But I don't. At all. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by whig on July 11, 2007 at 20:30:20 PT Hope What would it mean for Bob Barr to be a narc if he's not in on anything but policy discussions? We shouldn't necessarily regard his policy proposals as anything but distractions, however. What experience is he supposed to be bringing to bear on something he was against for his entire career until recently?Has Bob Barr smoked pot yet? Maybe that's what he should do. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Hope on July 11, 2007 at 18:37:42 PT Makes you think an influential prohibitionist might be involved in influencing schedules.Is it paranoia, or do they really want to throw up road blocks everywhere they can to keep us from making as much progress as possible? [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on July 11, 2007 at 18:36:50 PT ekim As far as I know it was the last day I could see it at a reasonable time which was 12am on July 9th. I wrote it down and kept a note in front of me and it was changed. I couldn't find it upcoming on any other date. The airing times before were 3 or 4 am and I don't have anyway to record and I can't stay awake that late. I hope this helps. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by RevRayGreen on July 11, 2007 at 18:31:08 PT I stayed up until 3 am when it was first to be broadcasted and they showed something else, I was not happy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by ekim on July 11, 2007 at 18:03:15 PT FoM did you say PBS moved Silent Nation do you know if it was just dropped or rescheduledhave others has this same experience with PBS and this show.It is suppose to run on our local PBS station this Sun night at 11:30 pm on ch 35 and 52 in West MI. When it ran on local PBS in Lansing it was shown in the middle of the night [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on July 11, 2007 at 16:14:20 PT Hope Once again a Republican. People must think I just hate Republicans but darnit they stand true to whatever they believe and hate us. I mean HATE us! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on July 11, 2007 at 16:10:49 PT Hope I think it's good if you have children around to watch Disney too. I don't have any children around and because of CNews I need to keep my eyes on the news more then I ever did before CNews. I watch Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, National Geographic and the History Channel most of the evening. They still have the I'm hot hot hot commercial though! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Hope on July 11, 2007 at 16:06:55 PT Important! http://www.madisonnorml.org/blog/archives/000194.phpRep. Vukmir’s staff to Jacki Rickert: GET OUT! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Hope on July 11, 2007 at 16:01:37 PT FoM! Turn it off!Or tune in, like I am, at the moment to Tune Disney, or one of the other Disney stations, or Nick, or something else.I enjoy these programs aimed at young people. I have a young people here watching it and I pay attention to what they watch.It's very important to watch what your young ones are watching on TV. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 11, 2007 at 15:51:33 PT Hope I have to think to remember much about Lady Bird but I remember she cared for the poor. She loved flowers. She didn't like advertising billboards plastered all over and neither do I! I am beginning to hate some of these commercials. I'm hot hot hot! and give me a break on those caveman commercials. They drive me up a wall. Maybe the whole USA is starting to go mad because of all this stuff they jam down our throats day after day.I do like the Aflac commericals. The na na na goat one. LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Hope on July 11, 2007 at 15:13:17 PT Lady Bird That's sad.I'm not sure what you mean about the horse and water, ekim...but I appreciate the encouragement.It happened today, though...about Barr. I was thinking about him...and suddenly, I seemed sure. It's disturbing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on July 11, 2007 at 14:49:14 PT Lady Bird Johnson RIP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Bird_Johnson [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 11, 2007 at 12:46:01 PT ekim I couldn't resist saying this. You can lead a horse to water but it's best not to even try with some horses. Some horses are mean and do a lot of kicking. They need to find their own water. LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by ekim on July 11, 2007 at 11:58:40 PT hey Hope you can lead a horse to water - your insightful posts nodoubt have helped many to take a drink --little steps [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 11, 2007 at 11:56:21 PT Hope I believe that we should NEVER sleep with the enemy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Hope on July 11, 2007 at 11:48:43 PT OT I've come to a terrible conclusion. Mr. Bob Barr is probably a spy, infiltrator, narc.Is that judging? Is that wrong of me to think that? I have not seen anything that has convinced me otherwise.It's sad. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by ekim on July 11, 2007 at 11:41:40 PT Casino help your people GROW what is going on -- we here in MI are seeing 3 more casinos all by Native Americans using hundred of Millions to build. Where are these mega Billion Dollar industries when it comes to helping Alex White Plume and others Oglala Sioux Tribe’s poverty-stricken reservation, where unemployment is estimated to be as high as 85 percent,If all these Casinos just gave a half of one percent to a lobbing cause to allow the growing of Hemp we would start seeing some action. The Hemp products would be sold at every Casino and new jobs would start up, if Willie can start a bio-fuels company so can these guys and gals. http://blog.leap.cc/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment