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Le_Canard
The Duk Abides
Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
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TN Lawmakers Discuss Legalizing Hemp Farming 1
#18761189 - 08/26/13 08:01 PM (10 years, 7 months ago) |
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WSMV.com
Posted: Aug 24, 2013 9:23 AM CST Updated: Aug 26, 2013 7:39 PM CST Reported by Terry Bulger
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV-AP) -
An unlikely plant may become Tennessee's newest cash crop as local farmers may soon find some economic hope in hemp.
It's been illegal to grow hemp in the United States for close to 60 years, but that could soon be changing.
In the plant world, marijuana and hemp are cousins - both born from the same species cannabis - but used in very different ways.
Hemp, most notably, is an ingredient in oils and fuels and can be woven into clothing, rope and paper.
Some controversy exists because the hemp plant looks like the marijuana plant, but smoking it would not produce any sort of high.
Kentucky recently legalized hemp farming, and now at least one Tennessee legislator wants to do it here.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Republican Sen. Frank Niceley of Strawberry Plains is drafting a bill with Republican Rep. Andy Holt of Dresden, and they plan to introduce the measure in next year's legislative session.
Niceley said Kentucky and six other states have passed measures legalizing hemp even though federal law prohibits it. Nicely said there also is support for changing federal laws, notably from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul, both from Kentucky.
Hemp is a money maker, is used in hundreds of products and is a $500 million yearly import to the United States.
Mike Hendley's Springfield family farm has been growing tobacco for generations, and he says hemp would be an easy sale for his fellow farmers.
"Yeah, I think it's something they would try. You know, farmers, if you say they can make money at it, they're gonna try," Hendley said.
Tobacco farmers these days often rely on other crops, including alfalfa hay and strawberries, just to survive. So, hemp would get a close look.
"Well, I'd have to see exactly what's involved in it. Don't know much about it now, but I'd learn," Hendley said.
Niceley said introducing the measure in the Tennessee Legislature would "put pressure on Congress" to repeal its prohibition on growing the plant.
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meatables
Psychonaut
Registered: 08/13/13
Posts: 82
Loc: Innerspace
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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Re: TN Lawmakers Discuss Legalizing Hemp Farming [Re: Le_Canard]
#18761370 - 08/26/13 08:50 PM (10 years, 7 months ago) |
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Diffinitely a lot easier than growing strawberries. .. alfalfa is grass so it'd probly take less room to grow hemp... I love the stuff... used to have a backpack and pair of shoes... much more durable than cotton
-------------------- Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you!
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Le_Canard
The Duk Abides
Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
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Re: TN Lawmakers Discuss Legalizing Hemp Farming [Re: meatables]
#18761378 - 08/26/13 08:53 PM (10 years, 7 months ago) |
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It's an extremely useful plant. And hardy too, so it needs much less pesticides I've read.
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redeyesmj
werdo
Registered: 12/04/08
Posts: 4,127
Loc: Middle of kansas
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Re: TN Lawmakers Discuss Legalizing Hemp Farming [Re: Le_Canard]
#18764532 - 08/27/13 03:38 PM (10 years, 7 months ago) |
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It needs nothing from man to grow but to be left alone and let to grow. There are fields and fields of industrial hemp growing near me...no one has cultivated any hemp in my area since the 30's and the plant still thrives. It will thrive in poor irrigated land without pesticides or fertilizers...and with all of the uses for hemp and its medicinal value it should be a no brain-er for the legislators.
-------------------- Where am I at? [/url] βTo be godless is probably the first step to innocence," he said, "to lose the sense of sin and subordination, the false grief for things supposed to be lost." So by innocence you mean not an absence of experience, but an absence of illusions." An absence of need for illusions," he said. "A love of and respect for what is right before your eyes.ββ Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat
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