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Dear Reader,
Even though it's an election year, progress
continues to be made on hemp bills in a few
states. As we reported in the last
issue, things are going well for the hemp
farming bill in Vermont.
The latest information is that the bill is
likely to be taken up in the Senate in
mid-March. Things could be going better for
the hemp study bill in Wisconsin,
however. The bill has been recommended in
committee, but is having a hard time getting
a floor vote. Wisconsin residents, see our
recent Action
Alert for more information and to take
action.
On a more positive note, the hemp farming
bill in Minnesota,
which was carried over from last year, was
amended and passed out of the House
Agriculture Committee and referred to the
Public Safety Committee, where it eked
out a close vote, but there is some
opposition.
Over the weekend, I took the time to re-read
the North
Dakota farmers' appeal that was filed
late last month. It seems long at 48 pages,
but it's actually a pretty easy read. I found
on page 23 that the District Court relied on
material outside the pleadings, the USDA's Industrial
Hemp in the United States: Status and Market
Potential (2000), and quoted from the
report in its decision. If you have the time,
please download
and read the appeal yourself.
As many of you are aware, HIA Board Member
Alex White Plume and his family lost their
house in Manderson, South Dakota to a
devastating electrical fire late in December.
I have been very impressed with the
generosity of people in the hemp industry!
Since the fire, thousands of dollars have
been donated to the White Plume family
through The Hemp Report, Vote Hemp and
the HIA — and Nutiva
donated a late-model Apple PowerBook laptop.
The photograph that illustrates the Indian
Country Today story at the end of this
newsletter was taken by Matt Rankin and was
originally in the post at The Hemp
Report entitled White
Plumes Rebuild, where you can make
donations. Please donate, and encourage
others to help as well. Many thanks to those
who have already done so!
Finally, please make a contribution to Vote Hemp today to help
us continue fixing the situation here in the U.S.
We need and truly appreciate your support!
Best Regards,
Tom Murphy
Hemp News Update Editor
| VT Senate Weighs Industrial Hemp Bill |
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By Cyrus Levesque
The Addison
Independent
February 25, 2008
Addison County — The Vermont Senate is
considering a bill to legalize industrial
hemp for growth and sale in Vermont. Rep.
Michael Fisher, D-Lincoln, one of bill
H.267's sponsors in the Vermont House of
Representatives, said that hemp could make a
new, very versatile crop for Vermont's
agricultural industry.
"I've been hearing for a long time that this
was an important crop for Vermont farmers to
grow," Fisher said.
Hemp can be used for a wide variety of
products, including textiles, biodegradable
plastics, biofuels and even food. However, it
is closely related to Cannabis sativa, better
known as marijuana. "Law enforcement has said
for a long time that they don't want us to
grow hemp because it looks like marijuana,"
Fisher said.
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| Bill to Legalize Hemp Production Introduced |
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By Jake Grovum
The Minnesota
Daily
February 28, 2008
In the coming weeks, state legislators will
have the opportunity to either blaze a trail
toward cannabis legalization or pass on the
grassroots movement altogether.
A bill authored by Rep. Phyllis Kahn,
DFL-Minneapolis, in support of industrial
hemp production in Minnesota is making its
way through House committees.
Passing the legislation could bring research
opportunities to the University and economic
benefits for farmers who call the crop a
potential cash cow, with a number of
practical uses in products like paper,
plastic and clothing.
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| HIA Featured Member - Fianna Spa Fashions |
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Amy Brooks and Kathy Huston are co-founders
of Fianna Spa Fashions and design
eco-friendly uniforms for spas. When first
researching fabrics, what they found was
astonishing! Polyester — which most
uniforms are made from — is very
damaging to the environment. Kathy, when
looking into natural fibers, happened upon
hemp and the array of hemp blends that are
available. She gravitated to this fiber
instantly because of the anti-microbial
properties and, after months of research and
testing, continued to find the hemp blends to
be an optimal choice for spa uniforms.
At the time Fianna was created, Kathy and Amy
did not foresee the booming trend of
"greening" within the spa industry, they just
wanted to create a fashionable, comfortable
spa uniform that did not damage our planet.
Fianna is also proud to govern under the Fair
Trade Guidelines.
Being an eco-friendly uniform company
definitely makes Fianna unique and quite
possibly ahead of its time, but they are not
always welcomed with open arms.
Sustainability takes education and, at times,
compromise.
Fianna's owners now understand their job
description does not only involve designing
and selling but educating as well. With the
spa industry employing over 230,000 people,
according to the ISPA 2004 Spa Industry
Study, they are banking that more spa owners,
directors and managers will eventually see
that the choices they make can change the world.
For more information, please feel free to
call them at 303-456-6307, or visit their Web
site.
Fianna is now offering overstock items at
savings of up to 60%. Please call Kathy or
Amy to take advantage of this great offer.
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| In Spite of Obstacles, White Plumes Carry On |
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The White Plume's New Shelter. Photo credit:
Matt Rankin.
By Waylon Pretends Eagle
Indian Country
Today
February 22, 2008
MANDERSON, SD — Their home was
destroyed by an electrical fire in December
of 2007, but Alex and Debra White Plume
haven't skipped a beat in their activities
both close to home and abroad.
The former Oglala Lakota Nation president has
been tapped by a biofuels company to travel
to Africa where he said he will be able to
accomplish some of the goals he had set for
his tiyospaye on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
"I am finally getting to do what I wanted to
do here on the reservation, but I have to
leave this country in order to do that,"
White Plume said in a phone interview the
week of Feb. 18.
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Ray Farmer Fighting to Grow Hemp Product |
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North Dakota farmer Wayne Hauge. Courtesy
photo.
By LeAnn Eckroth
The Williston Daily
Herald
February 25, 2008
Ray farmer Wayne Hauge knows a good cash crop
when he sees one.
In industrial hemp, he finds almost boundless
potential. Its uses span from fabrics, to
food products to biofuels.
Hemp's red light comes in the form of
federal regulations which mistakenly label it
in the same category as marijuana.
[More...]
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