cannabisnews.com: Vt. House OKs Hemp Farming Bill





Vt. House OKs Hemp Farming Bill
Posted by CN Staff on January 31, 2008 at 11:28:56 PT
By Peter Hirschfeld, Vermont Press Bureau 
Source: Rutland Herald 
Montpelier, VT -- A controversial plant moved through the Statehouse without much controversy Wednesday. Lawmakers in the House Agriculture Committee unanimously approved a bill that would allow Vermont farmers to grow hemp, a benign cousin of marijuana that boasts a variety of industrial applications.A federal statute criminalizing the plant supercedes Vermont's legislation, so Green Mountain hemp won't go to sprout anytime soon. But advocates of the hemp bill say it positions local farmers to capitalize on the potentially profitable crop if and when the Drug Enforcement Administration finally relents.
"Eventually, the federal government is going to have to change its policy on hemp," said Amy Shollenberger, executive director of Rural Vermont. "We see this bill … as making sure farmers in Vermont are on the front lines when it does."Hemp, grown legally in every industrialized country except the United States, reaps attractive profit margins for some farmers. Hemp oil, derived from seeds, is used in food and beauty products. Hemp's long stalks contain fiber and cellulose that can be made into textiles, building materials and fuel.Hemp, among this country's leading agricultural commodities until it was banned after World War II, shares a close genetic association with marijuana. Though the two plants belong to the same species, cannabis sativa, industrial hemp carries a maximum of 0.3 percent THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Marijuana generally contains at least 5 percent THC.Bills similar to the one proposed in Vermont have passed in about a half-dozen other states. The nationwide hemp legalization effort has drawn fire from law enforcement officials who say hemp crops would undermine their ability to eradicate marijuana.Law enforcement officials in Vermont did not respond to an interview request for this story.Rep. David Zuckerman, a Burlington Progressive, chairs the House Agriculture Committee. He said Wednesday that testimony from law enforcement officials in Canada, where hemp is legal, indicate the two plants are easily distinguished."The reality, we've learned, is that should not be a concern," Zuckerman said. "Clearly, the 11-0 vote out of committee shows that the knowledge we learned created support across a broad political spectrum."Rep. Albert Perry, D-Richford, said he was skeptical of the bill when it was first introduced in 2007."When we first took up this bill, my own reaction to it was 'Why would we want to do that?'" Perry said. "As we got into it more, my reaction was 'Why wouldn't we want to do that?'"Lawmakers in the Agriculture Committee said they hope to see the bill go to a floor vote soon. Source: Rutland Herald (VT)Author: Peter Hirschfeld, Vermont Press Bureau Published: January 31, 2008 Copyright: 2008 Rutland HeraldContact: letters rutlandherald.comWebsite: http://www.rutlandherald.comCannabisNews Hemp Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/hemp.shtml
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Comment #16 posted by fight_4_freedom on February 01, 2008 at 20:56:47 PT:
Ok Ekim I did my research
and I know now. Hopefully after we pass this one, we can start a fully funded initiative similar to that here once again. But I guess we'll wait and see what happens with this one first. I really wish I would have been able to experience Rainbow Farm. Although I was only 14 or 15 when the tragedy happened. It sounded like a magical place.
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Comment #15 posted by fight_4_freedom on February 01, 2008 at 19:40:16 PT:
You're right Ekim, If we had a lot more
Greg Franciscos fighting this war we'd be a lot better off. He is relentless with those lte's. Nearly every day I check my e-mail and the talk list I see another lte that he had published. A truly dedicated, extremely intelligent, diehard
activist.Ekim, what is this PRA I always here about? Was this a previous petition drive here in MI?We should be hearing about the initiative officially making the November ballot within days. Then the games shall begin.
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 01, 2008 at 13:15:39 PT
ekim
That seems like a good idea.
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Comment #13 posted by ekim on February 01, 2008 at 12:54:29 PT
Fom see www.coskata.com news for more info
making ethanol does not have to be made with corn.
cellulose ethanol means many types of feed stocks are needed and used.the fact that the Pres Debates have not explaned this must be righted.exon just reported 40 billion made last year-http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=74875
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on February 01, 2008 at 10:05:05 PT
afterburner
I'll bookmark the link for him. Thanks.
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Comment #11 posted by afterburner on February 01, 2008 at 09:03:19 PT
OT: FoM, Ask stick what he thinks of this
Water4Fuel
How To Convert Your Car To Burn
Water + Gas & Double Your Mileage
www.EasyWaterCar.com
http://easywatercar.com/2books.htm?hop=europe11&gclid=cmajpde7o5ecfsgoigodgdfoza
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on February 01, 2008 at 07:02:54 PT
ekim
Stick and I want to see more green alternatives but as far as ethanol goes it has problems because of how it could cost us more for food. If we used something else ethanol would be great.
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Comment #9 posted by Dankhank on January 31, 2008 at 21:49:38 PT
ethanol ...
made from Soy or Corn is already affecting the prices of these two plants to the detriment of some third world countries that are now experiencing shortages of these FOODS as farmers can now make more money by selling to ethanol producers instead of food wholesalers. We need to use plants not ripped from our food supply.
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Comment #8 posted by ekim on January 31, 2008 at 21:18:37 PT
Fom what does Stick say about ethanol
around here many make money by going out and hulling old steel stuff -- i can see the day that a load of chips or other dried cellulose will fetch dollars at the local ethanol plant.First Commercial American Cellulosic Ethanol Plant  
 Wyoming plant is ramping up production.
  http://www.miagbiz.org/
 Compiled By Staff (January 31, 2008)  Compiled By Staff (January 31, 2008) 
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on January 31, 2008 at 20:42:24 PT
ekim
That would be nice.
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Comment #6 posted by ekim on January 31, 2008 at 20:36:00 PT
Greg Francisco spoke
Greg writes LTEs everyday and spearheaded the MI Med Petition and worked hard on PRA back in the day.Its so great to see the Judge and DA talking at one of the top Colleges in town. IF only Obama could have sent a rep to the Kalamazoo debate it would add a great deal of weight
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Comment #5 posted by Dankhank on January 31, 2008 at 16:17:09 PT
vote ...
The original colonists were "ILLEGAL ALIENS" themselves. There was a thriving culture already here.If we want all illegal aliens to leave it would be all the white people and LEGAL immigration that took place under the criminal government that usurped the Tribal Culture already here.The only ones left would be all Native Americans and, curiously enough, the Black Americans that were transported here involuntarily. 
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Comment #4 posted by Richard Zuckerman on January 31, 2008 at 14:29:38 PT:
THINK TWICE ABOUT DEMOCRATS AND JOHN MCCAIN!!!
Heed my advice and think twice about voting for any Democrat and Republican John McCain because they would be worst than a Bush! Obama's wife is a member of the Council On Foreign Relations. "Billary" Clinton is a Bilderberg. They want to give amnesty to illegal aliens and eliminate our international borders by 2010, only two years away, for their "NORTH AMERICAN UNION", for the United Nations to take over as a one world government. Your Universal Health Care endeavors would bankrupt this country just as much as the wars! www.infowars.com. RON PAUL is the U.S. Presidential candidate who truly cares for Americans, www.RonPaul2008.com. Next Tuesday, at the Primaries, I will vote for Republican Ron Paul. If Ron Paul loses in the Primaries, then I'd strongly consider Mitt Romney as second choice, because he opposes subsidizing illegal aliens, helped health care while Governor of Massachusetts, and apparently opposes DEA raids against medical Marihuana patients. YOU PEOPLE MUST VOTE AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS UPON IT, BECAUSE YOUR LIFE DOES DEPEND UPON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 31, 2008 at 13:02:28 PT
Local Panel Debates Legalizing Pot
Snipped source article.Thursday, January 31, 2008  
 
KALAMAZOO -- The question repeatedly asked at a panel discussion on the current state of the country's drug policy was, ``Why not legalize marijuana and regulate it the same as alcohol and tobacco?'' The money it generates could be used for drug education and prevention programs as well as for treating addicts who want help for their substance-abuse problems, said two of the four panelists who debated the issue Wednesday night at Kalamazoo College. Complete Article: http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-27/1201794624116680.xml&coll=7
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Comment #2 posted by ekim on January 31, 2008 at 12:49:46 PT
dazofvodo
the stimulus bill worth an estimated 150 billion could spend half on new ethanol companies like www.coskataenergy.com 
we must teach this new technology in our schools -- yet we hear nothing about it in any pres debate-- 
last night the GOP debate asked McCain if he supported Gov Arnold of CA effort to do something about global warming and McCain said --yes I am a federalist and think that the states should be able to come up with their own solutions to problems and the other states will ether adopt similar efforts or reject them.
Sounds like what old W was saying back in 2000 in regards to MMJ.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 31, 2008 at 11:29:32 PT
Hemp
Go Vermont!!!
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