AP STORY PROVES VALUE OF HEMP FARMING

It was encouraging to read "Man Aims To Become Licensed Hemp Farmer"
(Jan. 15) on the Summit Daily News website's AP section about David
Monson in North Dakota who may be allowed to grow hemp (though he has
to be fingerprinted and pay the Drug Enforcement Administration's
annual registration fee of $2,293, which is non-refundable even if
the application is denied).

Encouraging, because U.S. farmers have been prohibited from growing
hemp since World War II, when the U.S. government needed American
farmers to produce hemp to help save America due to its value for
human survival.

Since the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco
effectively ended the Federal Government's attack on hemp food
products in 2004, Americans may now purchase hemp products, yet
American farmers are excluded from cultivating the plant. Locally,
citizens may purchase hemp food products available at Alpine Market
in Frisco, although the hemp in those products must be imported.

American farmers are unable to compete in the free world market due
to unfair DEA laws prohibiting hemp cultivation. The U.S. is almost
the only developed nation that doesn't allow its farmers to grow
hemp. In fact, communist Chinese farmers grow hemp (nearly 2 million
acres), and neighboring Canada's hemp industry doubled last year
where hemp had a better profit outlook than any other Canadian crop in 2006.

Although hemp seeds and oil contains Gamma Linolenic Acid, which
contributes to a strong immune system and is only available from five
obscure places including mother's milk, hemp cultivation isn't
limited to food products. Hemp should and could get more attention as
an alternative fuel especially considering the original diesel engine
was designed to run on hemp seed oil.

Currently American hemp cultivation is gaining support from all
political parties and since hemp can grow almost anywhere including
harsh climates like Canada and North Dakota; it can grow in Colorado.

It is time to re-introduce hemp as a component of American
agriculture and to help achieve that goal, citizens can request
congressmen support American farmers and hemp cultivation. Urge
Congress to refuse funding the DEA's enforcement actions against
law-abiding, state-licensed industrial hemp growers as these bills
may arise this summer.

Eastern Colorado farmers may even consider supporting Amendment 44
type election ballot questions in the future, which legalize cannabis
(marijuana / kaneh bosm) since it stands to reason, if citizens may
use cannabis with THC then farmers may cultivate hemp with
practically no THC. Further, farmers might consider how the Federal
government has unfairly treated them and support hemp farming.

To allow ignorant politicians to continue prohibiting hemp farming
isn't leading, it's draining; vote for politicians who get it and do
what is right for America, Earth and our solar system.