Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Farming Bill and Common Sense Legislation





Washington D.C. (May 19, 2013)—Senate Bill 358 was the Hemp Farming Bill for Missouri and as Jason Holsman and Brian Nieves failed to get the bill a floor vote, the actions of better men are prevailing elsewhere.

The federal farm bill is currently being worked in the U.S. senate.  Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)  has introduced an amendment to the farm bill that would allow hemp to be cultivated in America.  Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) is floor managing this farm bill and Wyden has made it clear he intends on addressing her on the matter of Hemp.  Wyden said, “I adopted what I think is a modest position, which is if you can buy it at a store in Oregon, our farmers ought to be able to make some money growing it.”

The amendment is cosponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky).

Senate procedures have made this a difficult move.  Because the DEA have jurisdiction over Hemp due to its scheduling as a narcotic, the legislative has gone into Judiciary rather than agriculture which means lawyers are farming instead of farmers.

Several states have passed law to license Hemp farming which include; Colorado, North Dakota, Maine, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Vermont, and West Virginia.  The main issue has been getting the Federal Government to certify the farming of Hemp.

Steven Wilson of the Missouri Hemp Network had this to say about the amendment, “The votes are important, but the logistics of farming is where this can go horribly wrong.  It won’t matter if the votes are there for the states, you are not going to get one farmer to risk their land or life for Hemp without protection from punishment.”

Wilson added, “It is common sense to farm Hemp, but it is also business too.  These politicians need to keep in mind that we can’t live in chamber”.

To find out more please contact Steven Wilson at: 573-416-0075



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