cannabisnews.com: DEA Won't Rule on ND Hemp Licenses in Time 





DEA Won't Rule on ND Hemp Licenses in Time 
Posted by CN Staff on March 31, 2007 at 20:14:32 PT
By Blake Nicholson, Associated Press Writer 
Source: Associated Press
North Dakota -- The federal Drug Enforcement Administration has told North Dakota officials it is "unrealistic" for them to expect the DEA to approve industrial hemp production by Sunday.State Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson sums up the DEA response in two words: permission denied.
Farmers Dave Monson and Wayne Hauge in February were issued the nation's first licenses to grow industrial hemp, a cousin of marijuana that falls under federal anti-drug rules even though it does not produce a high. The state licenses are worthless without DEA permission. Hauge has said his crop must be in the ground by mid-May, and he needs time to acquire seed and prepare the land.Johnson hand-delivered to the DEA federal applications on Feb. 13 from Monson, a state lawmaker who farms near Osnabrock, and Hauge, a farmer from Ray, along with the farmers' nonrefundable $2,293 annual federal registration fees. He asked for a decision by April 1."If the applicants cannot have a decision in time to plant the crop, then the applications are meaningless," Johnson said in a statement Friday.Joseph Rannazzisi, a deputy assistant administrator at DEA, told Johnson in a letter this week that "it would be unrealistic (and unprecedented) to expect DEA to make a final decision on any application to manufacture any controlled substance within the timeframe you suggest - approximately seven weeks."Rannazzisi said the approval process includes, among other steps, a 60-day comment period, a background check of the applicant and a farm inspection."The time frame is even more infeasible where the agency is being asked to evaluate two separate applications, both of which seek to grow marijuana on a larger scale than any DEA registrant has ever been authorized to undertake," Rannazzisi said.Monson had planned to seed 10 acres of industrial hemp; Hauge 100 acres.Johnson has repeatedly said he is upset that DEA refers to industrial hemp as marijuana. He said Friday that the federal agency should focus on serious drug issues such as methamphetamine rather than "continuing to prevent farmers from growing a legitimate crop."Hemp can be used to make everything from paper to lotion."Every other industrialized country in the world allows production of industrialized hemp," Johnson said. "It's really time DEA let the United States catch up."The North Dakota Agriculture Department approved rules for commercial hemp farming licenses late last year. The DEA soon after rejected a request from Johnson that the federal registration requirement for industrial hemp cultivation be waived.Rannazzisi said earlier this year that federal law does not allow the agency to delegate its ability to regulate hemp to state officials. DEA may waive registration requirements for controlled substances, but it has done so only for law enforcement officers and other officials.The North Dakota Agriculture Department has received five hemp license applications, including Monson's and Hauge's. The cost of the state license depends on acreage but is a minimum of $202.Department spokeswoman Patrice Lahlum said one of the pending applications is ready for approval, but the farmer will be given a chance to withdraw it, as will the other applicants."If producers wish to move forward with state license applications, we will accommodate them," Johnson said. "I want them to know, however, that it is virtually certain DEA will not allow the planting of industrial hemp in 2007."Complete Title: DEA Won't Rule on ND Hemp Licenses in Time for Spring PlantingSource: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Blake Nicholson, Associated Press Writer  Published: Saturday, March 31, 2007Copyright: 2007 Associated Press CannabisNews Hemp Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/hemp.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by ekim on June 15, 2007 at 20:09:40 PT
what is fueling Chinnese Ethanol Plants
Chinese Hemp Industry has Boundless Potential 
http://cannabisnews.com/news/11/thread11260.shtmlComment #6 posted by ekim on November 05, 2001 at 13:04:14 PT:
 
http://www.ethanol-gec.org/fall2001/fall15.html 
This is the right site. Where is Robert Redford and all the save the bio folks. How come no reports on Mr. Nader saying the growing Hemp is needed for Nat't Security along with Ex. CIA Dir. James Woolsey. And these gutless wonders on the hill are debating a energy bill with no mention of Hemp. [ Post Comment ]
 
 
Comment #5 posted by ekim on November 05, 2001 at 12:58:53 PT:
 
www.ethanol.gec-org 
Genencor Meets First Technical Milestone in Biomass to Ethanol Project 
Genencor Labs, Palo Alto, California Genencor International, Inc. announced that it has achieved its first technical milestone in its three-year contract with the U.S. Department of Energy Biofuels Program. Genencor developed and validated processes for improved cellulase enzymes that meet the intended objective at one-half the cost of currently available technologies. "Advances in molecular biology and functional genomics enable us to push the frontiers of commercial development and we're pleased to be making progress toward developing new enzyme systems to accomplish the goal of this project," said Michael Arbige, Ph.D, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. The goal of the program is to develop new enzyme systems for the economic conversion of plant matter into ethanol and other valuable materials. DOE has determined that the cost of converting biomass into useable form is a critical stumbling block to producing biofuels and chemicals from renewable raw materials.Specifically, Genencor and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are working to deliver enzyme systems enabling a 10-fold improvement in the economics of breaking down cellulosic material (plant matter) and other complex carbohydrates into fermentable sugars. "The United States is the world's leader in agriculture and biotechnology and the Department's biomass research and development efforts take advantage of that position," said David Garman, the U.S. Department of Energy's Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "The President's Energy Policy promotes the development of renewable energy sources and we look to biomass for significant contributions to reducing America's dependence on foreign oil." 
http://blog.leap.cc/
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 15, 2007 at 15:37:34 PT
AP: Farmers to File Lawsuit Over Hemp
June 15, 2007Two North Dakota farmers will file a lawsuit against the federal Drug Enforcement Agency next week in their ongoing fight over the approval of industrial hemp production, the state's agriculture commissioner said Friday.Commissioner Roger Johnson said farmers Dave Monson and Wayne Hauge will file the lawsuit on Monday.Earlier this year, the state issued licenses to the farmers to grow industrial hemp, a cousin of marijuana that falls under federal anti-drug rules even though it does not produce a high. But the state licenses are worthless without DEA permission.In February, Johnson hand-delivered to the DEA the applications from Monson, a state lawmaker who farms near Osnabrock, and Hauge, a farmer from Ray, along with the farmers' nonrefundable $2,293 annual federal registration fees.Johnson asked for a decision by April so the farmers could have time to plant the crop. But that did not happen.Johnson said he could not disclose details about the lawsuit, but offered his own opinion on the DEA's lack of action."I think people are genuinely very, very frustrated with DEA," he said.Monson and Hauge could not be reached Friday for comment on the lawsuit. A spokeswoman for the DEA said she could not comment on the lawsuit because it has not been filed.Review of the farmers' applications is ongoing, spokeswoman Rogene Waite said."My understanding is that they are still in process," she said.Johnson repeatedly has said he is upset that DEA refers to industrial hemp as marijuana and won't distinguish between the two."To me, that is the biggest single issue here," he said.Copyright 2007 Associated Presshttp://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/06/15/ap3826927.html
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