Tell CA Assembly to Vote Hemp on Thursday

CA Assembly Votes Thursday
Volume 2, Number 4
April 23, 2007



The CA Assembly will vote on Thursday on
whether to remove barriers in state law to
commercial hemp farming. Take
action now!
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.8w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9480636%26type%3DCU)

In 9 more states, farmers will soon have
the right to grow industrial hemp for food,
clothing, paper,
body care, bio-fuel and even auto parts, if
hemp bills are successful this year.



North Dakota has already passed 5 hemp bills
this year.
The legislature wrapped up last week by
telling the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration that it would no longer
require state-licensed industrial hemp
farmers to seek DEA licenses. The law change
removes DEA licenses as a requirement of state
law, but it can't protect farmers from
federal prosecution. Vote Hemp will support
a lawsuit brought by ND-licensed hemp farmers
to prevent the DEA from enforcing federal
marijuana laws against them. If the farmers'
lawsuit, which will be filed in the coming
weeks, is successful, states across the
nation will be free to implement hemp farming
laws without fear of federal interference.

Read
more about North Dakota's bold
action...
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.py6qsrbab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fpress_releases.html)


Donate
to the farmers' legal support fund.
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.4qv6r7bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fcontribute_ff.asp)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2007 Industrial Hemp Legislation
* Current Action Alert
* California
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Minnesota
* New Hampshire
* New Mexico
* North Dakota
* Oregon
* South Carolina
* Vermont
* Wisconsin
* Congress

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
California

In California, AB 684, a bill that would let
farmers grow industrial hemp without state or
federal licenses, passed the Assembly
Committee on Public Safety on March 27 and
the Appropriations Committee on April 18. The
Assembly will vote on the bill Thursday, May 3.

California Hemp News


Hemp
Efforts Gain Traction from Poll
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.6yyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.indybay.org%2Fnewsitems%2F2007%2F03%2F20%2F18379843.php)

California
Survey Shows Support for Hemp Farming
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.i94un5bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.wisconsinagconnection.com%2Fstory-national.php%3FId%3D631%26yr%3D2007)

Hemp
bill passes public safety committee in
Assembly
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.5yyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.santacruzsentinel.com%2Farchive%2F2007%2FApril%2F30%2Flocal%2Fstories%2F04local.htm)

Read more at Vote Hemp's California page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.tznmvybab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fcalifornia.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hawaii

In Hawaii, HB 1535, a bill to legalize and
regulate the production of industrial hemp,
failed to make the March 8 "First Crossover,"
the deadline for passing in the House and
being transferred to the Senate. The bill
will be carried over to the next legislative
session.

Read more at Vote Hemp's Hawaii page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.rurnu8bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fhawaii.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Idaho

Idaho's resolution asking the U.S. Congress
to legalize hemp farming was killed in the
House Agricultural Affairs Committee earlier
this year.

Read more at Vote Hemp's Idaho page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.cvrnu8bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fidaho.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minnesota

Minnesota had a hemp farming bill, HF 2168,
introduced late last month. It has been
referred to the House Agriculture, Rural
Economies and Veterans Affairs committee.

Read more at Vote Hemp's Minnesota page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.wurnu8bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fminnesota.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Hampshire

After Vote Hemp National Outreach Coordinator
Tom Murphy testified before the New Hampshire
House Environment and Agriculture Committee
in favor of HB 424, the bill passed the
committee and then the full House, 190-76.
Tom testified again when the bill was heard
by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Labor
and Consumer Protection on April 24. The
Senate has until June 7 to act on the bill.



New Hampshire Hemp News

Senate
to vote on hemp
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.4yyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.concordmonitor.com%2Fapps%2Fpbcs.dll%2Farticle%3FAID%3D%2F20070406%2FREPOSITORY%2F704060384%2F1037%2FNEWS04)

Read more at Vote Hemp's New Hampshire page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.dopdc9bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fnew_hampshire.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Mexico

New Mexico passed HM 49, a resolution urging
Congress to remove barriers to industrial
hemp farming and the state to study the
feasibility of hemp for New Mexico, with an
overwhelming 59-2 vote in the
House.

New Mexico Hemp News


Industrial
hemp provides many benefits to society
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.azyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.http://www.dailylobo.com%2Fmedia%2Fstorage%2Fpaper344%2Fnews%2F2007%2F04%2F25%2FOpinion%2FIndustrial.Hemp.Provides.Many.Benefits.To.Society-2879798.shtml)

Read more at Vote Hemp's New Mexico page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.wm6nu8bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fnew_mexico.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
North Dakota

North Dakota passed five new hemp laws in 2007.
Two were resolutions urging Congress to
recognize the multiple benefits of industrial
hemp and directing DEA to differentiate
between industrial hemp and marijuana. Three
were bills making improvements in the state's
industrial hemp law. Under the new law,
state-licensed North Dakota hemp farmers no
longer have to seek DEA licenses.


North Dakota News Articles

Johnson
urges DEA to act on industrial hemp
applications
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.h94un5bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.farmandranchguide.com%2Farticles%2F2007%2F03%2F18%2Fag_news%2Fregional_news%2Fnews22.txt)

Read more at Vote Hemp's North Dakota page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.bzyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2FNorth_Dakota.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oregon

In Oregon, SB 348 would allow farmers to grow
hemp under state rules.

Read more at Vote Hemp's Oregon page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.czyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2FOregon.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Carolina

South Carolina study bill, H 3305, was
introduced in January and is stalled in the
House Committee on Agriculture, Natural
Resources and Environmental Affairs.

Vote Hemp's South Carolina Page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.dzyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2FSouth_Carolina.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vermont

Vermont's hemp farming bill, H 267, is in the
House Agriculture Committee. Tom Murphy, Vote
Hemp's National Outreach Coordinator
testified at hearings that took place last
week.



Vermont Hemp News

Johnson
testifies on industrial hemp before VT
lawmakers
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.ezyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.kxnet.com%2FgetArticle.asp%3Fs%3Drss%26ArticleId%3D118314)
Johnson
urges Vermont to OK Industrial Hemp
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.fzyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.agdepartment.com%2F2007Press%2Fother070427.htm)
Hemp
legislation receives endorsement from Midwest
officials
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.gzyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fstream.publicbroadcasting.net%2Fproduction%2Fmp3%2Fvpr%2Flocal-vpr-584057.mp3)


Vote Hemp's Vermont Partner: Rural
Vermont
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.hzyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.ruralvermont.org%2F)

Vote Hemp's Vermont Page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.rvu5vtbab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fvermont.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wisconsin

Wisconsin's hemp study bill, AB 146, just had
a successful hearing last week in the
Assembly Rural Economic Development
committee.



Wisconsin Hemp News


Industrial
Hemp Was Topic at Capitol Hearing Last Week
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.izyhl4bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.iowafarmer.com%2Farticles%2F2007%2F04%2F26%2Fheadlines%2Fagri-view%2Fcapitol_news%2Fproducer01.txt)

Vote Hemp's Wisconsin Page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.4m6nu8bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fstate%2Fwisconsin.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Congress

H.R. 1009, the "Industrial Hemp Farming Act
of 2007," was introduced in Congress in
January. The bill excludes industrial hemp
from the definition of "marihuana" in the
Controlled Substances Act and gives states
the exclusive authority to regulate the
growing and processing of industrial hemp
under state law. The full text of H.R. 1009,
Rep. Paul's House floor comments, and the CRS
Report "Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity"
can all be read at: http://www.votehemp.com/federal.html
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.bn6nu8bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Ffederal.html)



"Under the current national drug control
policy, industrial hemp can be imported, but
it can't be grown by American farmers," says
Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp. "The
DEA has taken the Controlled Substances Act's
antiquated definition of marijuana out of
context and used it as an excuse to block
industrial hemp farming. The Industrial Hemp
Farming Act of 2007 will bring us back to
more rational times when the government
regulated marijuana, but told farmers they
could go ahead and continue raising hemp just
as they always had," says Mr. Steenstra.

Vote Hemp's Federal Page -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.bn6nu8bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Ffederal.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current Action Alert

Nationwide: Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.fasd87bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9370876%26type%3DCO)
to send a letter urging your
U.S. Representative to co-sponsor HR
1009, the "Industrial Hemp Farming Act of
2007."



California: Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.8w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9480636%26type%3DCU)
to send a letter urging your
state legislators to support AB 684.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Support Vote Hemp
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http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6wvck4bab.0.uxqm5wbab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0241&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fcontribute_email.asp
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: report [at] votehemp.com
phone: 202-318-8999
web: http://www.votehemp.com


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