INDUSTRIAL HEMP PRODUCTION LICENSES ACCEPTED BY N.D. AG DEPARTMENT

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is accepting applications
for 2009 industrial hemp production licenses.

"The applications are due Jan. 1," said Agriculture Commissioner
Roger Johnson. "Although the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
continues to prevent holders of state licenses from growing
industrial hemp, NDDA remains committed to fully implementing state
laws authorizing the production, processing and sale of this crop in
North Dakota."

Johnson cautioned prospective growers that the process involves state
and federal criminal background checks including fingerprints,
together with associated fees and paperwork.

People interested in growing and processing industrial hemp should
contact Ken Junkert at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture
NDDA at 701-328-2231 or kjunkert@nd.gov. More information is also
available on the NDDA Web site, www.agdepartment.com.

Johnson issued state licenses to two farmers -- Rep. David Monson,
Osnabrock, and Wayne Hauge, Ray -- in 2008. After DEA failed to act
on their applications as bulk manufacturers of industrial hemp,
Monson and Hauge sued DEA in federal court. The case is currently on
appeal before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul.

"Unless the federal courts act favorably on the matter, it may take
congressional action to amend the Controlled Substances Act, enabling
state-licensed growers to produce the crop," Johnson said. "This is
unfortunate because industrial hemp production has virtually no
potential for illegitimate purposes and because the crop could be
valuable for North Dakota growers."