.c The Associated Press  

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  Kentuckians who think it should be legal to grow hemp
for industrial fiber got a longsought legislative hearing but no promises. 

``I don't think we came into this with any kind of high expectations,'' said
Julia Williams of Community Farm Alliance, one of the groups pushing for
legalization of hempgrowing. ``This is one step.'' 

The twohour hearing Wednesday by the General Assembly's interim Agriculture
and Natural Resources Committee was apparently the first time prohemp forces
had a chance to state their case in a formal legislative setting. The
committee has no power, however, because the Legislature is not in session. 

Hemp is similar to marijuana, but has only a tiny amount of
tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the ingredient that produces a high. State and
federal law make no distinction between them, however. Neither can be grown
legally. 

Legalization advocates contend hemp's potential as a fiber for paper, fabric,
twine and other products also makes it a potential moneymaker for farmers.
The same arguments are being made before lawmakers in several other states. 

Community Farm Alliance and other proponents  including Kentucky Industrial
Hemp Association, Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative and Kentucky Heartwood 
said the law should be changed to allow university research on hemp. 

``We have seen farm income erode over the years to the point farmers and
their wives are working off the farm to subsidize their income,'' Dorothy
Robertson, a Bath County farmer and alliance member, told the committee. 

Would hemp be a viable crop? ``We will never know until we do some research
in this state,'' Mrs. Robertson said. 

State Sen. Barry Metcalf has begun work on a bill to direct the University of
Kentucky to plant test plots while doing research on markets and uses for
hemp. He could introduce a bill in January, when the General Assembly
convenes. 

Even if it were to pass, the research still would need approval by the Drug
Enforcement Administration. But the federal agency has never issued such
approval, said Gregory Williams, chief of domestic operations for the DEA. 

Four people  none from Kentucky  have applied for permits, and all have
been rejected, Williams said. Without elaborating, he said the applicants did
not meet the agency's criteria. He also said state law would have to allow
hempgrowing before DEA would issue a permit. 

Gale Glenn, a Clark County farmer who was appointed to a shortlived hemp
task force by thenGov. Brereton Jones, said the federal permit costs $800,
and ``the chance of them approving it for you is approximately zero.'' 

``It's almost an impossible permit,'' she said. 

Kentucky State Police Commissioner Gary Rose said officers would be unable to
distinguish between legal hemp and illegal marijuana growing in a field. 

``Law enforcement would face an obstacle that would be nearly impossible to
overcome,'' Rose said. 

APNY071097 0801EDT