Pubdate: Thu, 12 Dec 2013
Source: Boulder Weekly (CO)
Copyright: 2013 Boulder Weekly
Contact:  http://www.boulderweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/57
Author: Randy Luallin

HEMP RULES GO TOO FAR

This letter is to whomever is concerned with the industrial hemp 
industry in Colorado. With the passage by the people of Amendment 64 
the possibility of a viable and profitable industry in the state was 
open. After attending the Industrial Hemp Forum hosted by Rep. Jared 
Polis in Fort Collins it is questionable if hemp production will take place.

After reviewing the criteria for farmers to grow industrial hemp, the 
odds are significantly against it. Usually when an industry is 
encouraged by the community it is offered incentives in the form of 
tax breaks, free land and other aids to get it off the ground. Not so 
with industrial hemp. Despite the rhetoric by the newly formed 
Colorado Department of Agriculture Hemp commission that they want to 
be "partners" in the research and development of this brand new 
industry, their regulations speak just the opposite.

In the guidelines the individual farmer must bear all the costs for 
such research and development (the state agricultural schools are not 
allowed to do research and development).The farmer first must pay a 
registration fee and then pay a fee for each acre cultivated (what 
other crop do you know has this requirement?). The farmer then must 
have the seeds smuggled in through undercover operations. After 
bearing the cost to purchase, plant and grow the crop the farmer must 
then pay for the inspection and diagnosis of the THC content. The 
risk being that if it is over 0.3 percent THC content his entire 
effort is destroyed by methods of arbitrary discretion by whom?

No remuneration of any kind will be made and any chance of selling it 
are forbidden. If it is over 1 percent THC the federal authorities 
will be called in and the farmer stands the risk of arrest as a felon 
and even the loss of his property! Couple all of this with the fact 
that no one will sell crop insurance for this crop.

All of this when certified seed of THC balanced industrial hemp are 
available in Canada, the European Union and Asia.

Why remake the wheel? Allow for transport of certified seed to come 
to this state!

Actually become a partner bearing some of the cost and risk involved 
in research, development and testing! Promote business by making a 
profit a sure thing!

Consumers and users of industrial hemp attended the forum and are 
poised to purchase this crop in Colorado, and the possibility of 
moving those processing industries to the state of Colorado is high.

As it stands none of this will happen under these criteria. Would you 
as a farmer venture into this field with these criteria?

I am asking the governor to recall the commission and re-evaluate 
this criteria and truly become partners with farmers that want to 
re-introduce this crop in Colorado.

Randy Luallin/Louisville
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom