Let's Talk About Hemp
Among the ballot measures that lost steam in several States this last election is the de-regulation of industrial hemp farming. Unfortunately, most folks associate it with psychoactive marijuana, so legislation to loosen up restrictions on farming it have stalled.
If you smoke industrial hemp, you'll just get a headache and bad breath. It's not pot.
Hemp fiber has been used for the past thousand years for everything from ropes to paper to food additives and right now, we're looking at an industry that's worth $500 million at the low end. Unfortunately, due to restrictions and taboo, we import most of it and lose out on the opportunity (and efficiency) of growing our own. Sheesh, the Declaration of Independence was printed on hemp fiber. High-end Bibles are printed on hemp, too.
Hemp is an efficient plant that isn't hard on the land. In my home State of Virginia, it was grown near and far up until pot was outlawed in the 1930's. With the prohibition on marijuana use, we lost a great opportunity to hold on to our rural farms and enrich communities with crops, not condos. The hemp market is growing by leaps and bounds, but not in this country. It could be. As the community where I live continues to expand and develop, farmland has to yield more and more at a higher and higher cost. Tax incentives and subsidies, while helpful, aren't a sustainable solution to loss of rural farmland, but industrial hemp is.
This past election cycle, we lost the opportunity for dialogue on an important, albeit boring, issue. Industrial hemp. Now that we've chosen this direction for the country until the next election, you can do your part to buy into industrial hemp. Money talks, and industrial hemp isn't going away. So, do yourself a favor and get on the hemp train to help give it a boost. Check out the myriad of industrial hemp products, and look for it on the ballot during the next cycle. It'll be there.
If you smoke industrial hemp, you'll just get a headache and bad breath. It's not pot.
Hemp fiber has been used for the past thousand years for everything from ropes to paper to food additives and right now, we're looking at an industry that's worth $500 million at the low end. Unfortunately, due to restrictions and taboo, we import most of it and lose out on the opportunity (and efficiency) of growing our own. Sheesh, the Declaration of Independence was printed on hemp fiber. High-end Bibles are printed on hemp, too.
Hemp is an efficient plant that isn't hard on the land. In my home State of Virginia, it was grown near and far up until pot was outlawed in the 1930's. With the prohibition on marijuana use, we lost a great opportunity to hold on to our rural farms and enrich communities with crops, not condos. The hemp market is growing by leaps and bounds, but not in this country. It could be. As the community where I live continues to expand and develop, farmland has to yield more and more at a higher and higher cost. Tax incentives and subsidies, while helpful, aren't a sustainable solution to loss of rural farmland, but industrial hemp is.
This past election cycle, we lost the opportunity for dialogue on an important, albeit boring, issue. Industrial hemp. Now that we've chosen this direction for the country until the next election, you can do your part to buy into industrial hemp. Money talks, and industrial hemp isn't going away. So, do yourself a favor and get on the hemp train to help give it a boost. Check out the myriad of industrial hemp products, and look for it on the ballot during the next cycle. It'll be there.
Hopefully the populace will be better educated on this product and its many uses!
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