Pubdate: Wed, 23 May 2001
Source: Watertown (SD) Public Opinion
Copyright: 2001 Watertown (SD) Public Opinion
Contact:  http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1166
Address: PO Box 10, Watertown SD 57201
Phone: 800-658-5401
Fax: 605-886-4280
Author: Bob Newland
Note: Newland, 52, is a publisher living near Hermosa, in the Black Hills. 
He is a spokesman for the South Dakota Cannabis Coalition, which is seeking 
ballot certification for an issue to allow farmers to grow hemp

DECISIONS ON GROWING HEMP SHOULD BE LEFT TO FARMERS

The Public Opinion's editorial opposing industrial hemp ("Right to petition 
good; petition for hemp bad", May 11) was correct in its assertion that the 
right of the people to petition for change should be inviolate.

Anyone has the right, also, to campaign against any ballot issue. We're 
sure the Public Opinion wants to provide useful information when either 
supporting or opposing an issue. It's part of our task to provide useful 
and accurate information about hemp during the course of this petition drive.

During hearings on the industrial hemp bills discussed during the past two 
legislative sessions, legislators said they didn't believe there was enough 
market potential to allow farmers to grow hemp. "This looks like another 
Jerusalem artichoke," they said. The Public Opinion seemed to echo that 
opinion.

It's a farmer's responsibility, not the government's, to determine whether 
he can grow and sell a crop. The blame for the Jerusalem artichoke fiasco 
of a few years ago falls squarely on the shoulders of farmers who planted 
before checking the market. We can direct farmers to information as to 
whether their soil can grow hemp well, where to get seed, and who to call 
to sell the crop before planting it.

Fact is, 33 nations allow their farmers to produce hemp. The U.S. imported 
$125 million in hemp products in 1999, $200 million in 2000. Canadian hemp 
is being trucked past barely-surviving South Dakota farms, for crying out 
loud! That alone demonstrates the absurdity of current policy.

Legislators and the Public Opinion unquestioningly accepted the 1999 Dept. 
of Agriculture's report on hemp's potential. This report was 
custom-designed to fit the agendas of other governmental agencies, largely 
agencies who arrest and imprison people. It was based on an assumption that 
the demand for hemp would never rise. Demand has already doubled since the 
report was penned.

After 65 years of governmental misinformation about and prohibition of the 
most useful plant God ever created, it's not surprising there is currently 
a relatively small market for hemp in the United States. Since we can't 
grow it, there are no manufacturing facilities for hemp paper, textiles, or 
any of the other 60000-plus uses for hemp.

Is it surprising that a government agency -- based on its relationship with 
corporate giants like the fertilizer/pesticide/herbicide companies, the 
paper companies, and the oil companies -- would produce a report which 
supports the positions of these companies and the prison/industrial complex?

Hemp can be used for anything trees, cotton or flax, or petroleum can be 
used for. Of course hemp is not always the best raw material for a given 
product. However, it is the best for a wide variety of consumer and 
industrial uses. Various estimates hover around a $500 billion world-wide 
potential market.

In January, we commissioned a poll which showed that 85 per cent of South 
Dakota voters think farmers should be allowed to grow hemp. The poll, 
including script and technique, is available at 
(http://www.sodaknorml.org/poll.htm) on the Internet. Contact us for 
referrals to more information about hemp at www.sodakhemp.org.

If the Public Opinion doubts the veracity of our poll, perhaps it should 
conduct its own poll.

Meanwhile, we'll continue obtaining signatures on the hemp petition from 
the four-out-of-five South Dakotans who agree that it is insane to deny 
South Dakota farmers the opportunities farmers have in China, Russia, 
England, Germany, France, Canada, and 27 other countries.
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MAP posted-by: Beth