The Governor Did What?!

Brown Vetoes Industrial Hemp Bill

by Steve Levine

The Governor of California, who allegedly represents his state and is by law a defender of the state’s medical cannabis industry, has vetoed the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act because he is afraid of federal intervention. It saddens me greatly that half a lifetime ago I revered Governor Jerry Brown as a political hero in the mold of Tom Hayden, Cesar Chavez, and even Robert Kennedy. It’s tragic what time can do to a man, and Jerry Brown is no longer worthy of anything other than pity and anger. He has lost his courage.

Industrial hemp has great promise as a renewable, alternative raw material to petrochemicals in composite and textile products. Its seed, as a food source, is second to none nutritionally. With a perfect balance of omega three and six essential fatty acids, it is a nearly complete, easily digestible protein. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps – an organic, free trade, and progressive company – currently imports 20 tons of hemp oil annually from Canada for use in their soaps. It is their goal to source this hemp oil from hemp grown on American soil. This is the case for many California companies.

Industrial hemp is not capable of producing any kind of high whatsoever, yet our government continues to block re-commercialization of industrial hemp by conflating it with medical marijuana. On October 9, Governor Brown of California used his voice to call the federal ban on industrial hemp farming “absurd” while at the same time hypocritically using his pen to veto the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act. The corporate stranglehold and hysterical drug warriors’ lock on cannabis/hemp policy continues unchecked under President Obama.

In a state that is floundering in a massive debt with high unemployment and, apparently, no leadership, the Governor has vetoed a bill that promised to give jobs to its citizens while growing an eco-industry that is sorely needed in this country. Moreover, it would not have cost the taxpayer a dime! Corporate members of the Hemp Industries Association – including Dr. Bronner’s, Nature’s Path, Nutiva and several others – have pledged to jump in and sponsor this amazing opportunity for California and the entire country at no cost to the government and its citizens. While every product derived from the industrial hemp plant is legal, we are the only industrialized country in the world that does not grow this versatile and durable plant. What the hell is wrong here?

As I see it, our government – state, federal and otherwise – is broken. It has become incumbent upon the people of this country to get involved and take back the freedom and power they have relinquished. This is a good place to start. If you also believe that industrial hemp is a unique plant that can help build a green economy in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, please make yourself heard. For more information on industrial hemp and how to bring it back to our farmers, please go to www.votehemp.com and www.hempindustries.org.

The veto of SB676, the California Hemp Farming Act, borders on treason. It will harm both the citizens and the environment of this country, respectively facing rising unemployment and disastrous global warming. At the very least, this veto by Brown was highly irresponsible and callous.

As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, “To stay experimentation in things social and economic is a grave responsibility. Denial of the right to experiment may be fraught with serious consequences to the nation. It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous State may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country.”

It’s up to us now, as it always has been.

Steve Levine is currently president of the Hemp Industries Association and on the Board of Directors of HIA and Vote Hemp. He produced the S.B. Hemp Festival from 1999 to 2007.

Update on Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 8:02PM by Chris J. Boucher

http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2011/10/24/opinion/doc4ea4d84158ea6860826085.txt

California Hemp Farming Bill on Gov. Brown's Desk

By State Senator Mark Leno

California is one step closer to building a successful hemp industry in the Central Valley.

This week the Legislature gave final approval to legislation I introduced that allows California farmers to grow industrial hemp for the legal sale of seed, oil and fiber to manufacturers. Senate Bill 676 creates a four-county pilot program in Imperial, Kern, Kings and San Joaquin, allowing farmers in our state to tap into the nation’s hemp market, which is currently valued at $400 million annually.

Hundreds of consumer products containing hemp are made in California, but the manufacturers of these goods are forced to import hemp seed, oil and fiber from growers in Canada, Europe and China. Family farmers are missing out on a golden opportunity to grow hemp, which can help expand their businesses, create jobs and stimulate the economy. In addition, hemp requires little to no pesticides and herbicides, is a great rotational crop, and grows quickly with less water, making it an ideal commodity for our state.

Hemp has a deep history in the U.S. The Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria crossed the Atlantic with sails made of hemp, and both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington grew hemp, which was legal tender until the early 1800s. Today, industrial hemp is used to manufacture a vast array of foods, clothing, personal care products and building materials. More than 55% of the U.S. companies that create hemp products are based in California.

SB 676 is co-sponsored by Hemp Industries Association and Vote Hemp. It is also supported by the Kern and Kings County Sheriffs, Kings County Board of Supervisors, Imperial County Farm Bureau, California Certified Organic Farmers, California State Grange and numerous labor and business groups.

The bill has one last stop – on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk – before it can become law.

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State Senator Mark Leno represents the 3rd District, which includes Marin, and portions of San Francisco and Sonoma Counties. Senator Leno, along with now California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones was also the recipient of the California Progress Report's legislature of the year, based on votes by our sites readers (the only time it has been done) in 2009.

Hemp farming in California closer to reality as bill moves through Legislature

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Introduced by Senator Mark Leno earlier this year, SB 676, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act is moving quickly through the California Legislature. SB 676 would create an 8-year pilot program to allow industrial hemp farming in five California counties, Kern, Kings, Imperial, San Joaquin and Yolo. Passing through the Assembly Committee on Agriculture last week with a 6-0 vote, leading hemp advocacy organization, Vote Hemp, expects the bill to reach the governor's desk this September.

The bill has the endorsement of the UFCW, the Imperial County Farm Bureau, California Certified Organic Growers and other leading farming organizations. Dan Rush, UFCW 5 Statewide Special Operations Director, stated, "UFCW enthusiastically supports SB 676 because we see it as a jobs and revenue generator at a time when they are sorely needed in California."

The bill has passed out of the Senate and Assembly committees with votes as follows:

In the Senate: Agriculture - 5 - 1 (4/05); Public Safety - 5 - 2 (4/26); Appropriations - 6 - 3 (5/16); Floor - 22 -14 (5/31)

In the Assembly: Public Safety - 5 - 2 (6/21); Agriculture - 6 - 0 (6/29)

SB 676 will go to the Assembly Appropriations Committee and Floor in August. After going back to the Senate for aconcurrence vote, it will finally head to the Governor's desk.

"Support for hemp farming and manufacturing in California has been very strong. It is passing through committee after committee with a positive reception. We expect this bill to be on its way to the Governor's desk by early September. Governor Brown will then have 30 days to act on the bill," explains Patrick Goggin, California Legal Counsel for Vote Hemp.

The bill clarifies that industrial hemp is separate and distinct from forms of Cannabis used to produce marijuana and if passed will allow commercial farming of industrial hemp in five counties (Imperial, Kern, Kings, San Joaquin and Yolo) under an 8-year pilot program. Industrial hemp was grown in California up until shortly after World War II. Industrial hemp is the non-psychoactive, low-THC, oilseed and fiber varieties of the Cannabis sativa plant. Hemp has absolutely no value as a recreational drug.

SB 676 was introduced on February 18 by state Senator Mark Leno. Senator Leno believes that hemp farming will help revitalize California's economy, "The time is long over due for California farmers to be allowed to grow this sustainable and profitable crop once again. The passage of SB 676 will create new jobs and economic opportunities for many farmers and manufacturers through out the state."

A variety of products made from industrial hemp including healthy food and natural body care products as well as eco-friendly clothing are made in California. "There are over 50 member businesses of the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) that make or sell hemp products in the state of California alone that could benefit from an in-state source of hemp seed, fiber and oil," says Eric Steenstra, Executive Director of the HIA. "Because of outdated federal and state policies these businesses are forced to import millions of dollars of industrial hemp from Canada, China and Europe." Companies that manufacture or sell products made with hemp include Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, a California company that manufactures the number-one-selling natural soap in the U.S. as well as best-selling hemp food manufacturers, such as French Meadow Bakery, Living Harvest, Manitoba Harvest, Nature's Path, Nutiva and Sequel Naturals who make their products from hemp grown in Canada. Major companies such as Ford Motors, Patagonia and The Body Shop also use sustainable hemp seed, fiber and oil.

"Dr. Bronner's currently purchases twenty tons of hemp oil each year from Canada. We look forward to the day that we can meet our supply needs from hemp produced right here in our home state," says David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps of Escondido.

On May 11th, Rep. Ron Paul introduced The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011 (H.R. 1831) in Congress along with 22 co-sponsors including 6 Representatives from California (Farr, McClintock, Miller, Rohrabacher, Stark, Woolsey). If passed, H.R. 1831 will remove federal restrictions on the cultivation of industrial hemp.

To date, 17 states have passed pro-hemp laws or resolutions, including the California Assembly in 1999 when it passed a resolution declaring that "the Legislature should consider action to revise the legal status of industrial hemp to allow for its growth in California as an agricultural and industrial crop."

California State Senate voted 22-14 to pass Industrial Hemp SB-676

The California State Senate voted 22-14. May 31st, 2011 to pass SB-676 which would allow farming of industrial hemp for industrial purposes in Imperial, Kern, Kings, San Joaquin and Yolo counties of California.

The law still faces a vote in the House of Representatives and must be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown by September 2011 before it will become law. The bill is being sponsored by California Senator Mark Leno who has championed this issue for California farmers and the agriculture economy of the state. The new law will only allow Agricultural Hemp Farming (Industrial Hemp) in five counties to allow farmers to legally supply numerous California manufacturers that currently must import hemp raw materials including hemp seeds, hemp protein powder, hemp foods and hemp oils. Hemp construction materials like hempcrete similar to concrete and hemp fiber board all to build homes with. Fashion materials can be made, from hemp t-shirts to hemp fabrics and hemp yarns.  Currently all imported from Canada and China.

Hempsteads is committed to ensuring all aspects of our hemp t-shirt production is eco sustainable and economically helping the environment. Our commitment is to local and global social community outreach programs educating people about the facts of hemp and the social economics of industrial hemp from clothing, health food, paper, construction materials. Hemp fabric is considered the Rolls Royce of t-shirt fabric when it comes to pure luxury, comfort and eco suitability. Hemp fabric is anti bacterial anti fungal, plus UV and UVB resistant. A hemp t-shirt has many advantages over a cotton t-shirt.

Hemp t-shirts are a great item for eco conscience companies, resorts and corporate promotions.
A Hemp t-shirt feels great on your body or you just want a real cool super eco sustainable t-shirt.

Hempsteads donates 5% of its sales to legalizing industrial hemp farming in USA and specifically in California. Hemp Farming will help many rural farming communities create jobs and build new businesses in their towns by growing hemp seed for food, fiber, paper plastics and 25,000 other products.