From: Institute for Hemp Newsgroups: alt.hemp Subject: Greenleaf News V5#3 part 1/5 Date: Mon, 3 Oct 94 19:15:34 -0500 Message-ID: THE GREENLEAF NEWS Vol 5 #3 "Recording the Re-Emergence of Cannabis Sativa Hemp as America's #1 Agricultural crop" ***************************** The Greenleaf News: Vol 5, #3 Publisher: The Institute for Hemp Editor: John Birrenbach Contributing Writers: Aswegan, and the others who give great ideas Vol 5 #3 of the Greenleaf News is published by the Institute for Hemp. Subscription rates are 1 yr $20, 2 yrs $35, Canada add $5 per year additional. Payable in U. S. funds. The Views expressed herein are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher does not condone the breaking of ANY laws regardless of the ignorance of the law. The publisher feels that ONLY if you work within the law can we change the law. Without responsible laws we have anarchy. ADVERTISING RATES: This Newsletter is published using QuarkXPress*. Ads "Q READY" receive a 5% discount. All other layout ads must be camera ready. Discounts are available to other Cannabis reform Organizations. FULL PAGE 7"x10"--- $30. Quarter Page -------------$10. other sizes are acceptable. Classified $0.15 per word $5 min. WE NEED ARTICLES: We need articles for publication. If you would like to write something DO IT and send it in. If you can submit it on a disk or a data link that makes it easier for us to publish. WE NEED MATERIAL, got an idea call us 612-222-2628. @ZEND ************************** The Hemp Cop* A section devoted to any and all serious News, Articles, Editorials, and reader correspondence that directly affect financial integrity, legality and ethics in the North American Hemp Industry. WARNING! to all wrongdoers! If you don't clean up, We will wash your dirty Hemp Linen in public. *** We are proud to introduce our latest feature a section appropriately titled, The Hemp Cop. This section while it at times may get ugly, will never intentionally libel an individual or company, we will always strive to be truthful. The truth, even though painful at times, will ultimately prevail. By speaking the truth, The Hemp Cop* hopes to promote an honest and thus cleaner and healthier Hemp Industry. Hey, fellow Hemp Industry Crimefighters, even your Chief is not above the law in this. If The Hemp Cop* should fail to be just, show prejudice or malice, or miss a Hemp Criminal then you the deputized "True Hemp Officers" out there are just as empowered to bust The Hemp Cop or Hemp Criminal as we are. Send us your complaints and we will investigate and publish them. Unfortunately, we have been made aware from many of our readers and industry cohorts of the sleazy, immoral, unethical, and even criminal things that have taken place in our burgeoning little industry. It's a shame that some people have come to our industry with little regard for the legal and ethical codes observed by other "legitimate" industries. From the start the Institute for Hemp, located in the heart of the American Hemp Belt, has attempted to provide the prospective buyer, in advance of any purchase, of Industrial Cannabis Hemp materials with as much factual information as possible. This has been done to inform and hopefully protect the often unsuspecting little guy against the rip-offs that result from unscrupulous businesses preying upon the innocent Hemp consumer. Many of the newly emergent hemp businesses have strived to be honest and forthright in all aspects of their dealings with the public and industry. There are, nevertheless, a disturbing number of individuals and their associated commercial entities that are in it only for the fast buck and their own overinflated egos and consideration of acceptable business practices has taken second place. In the past as soon as we became aware of those engaging in misleading or even false reporting, advertising, product claims, and assorted other unethical actions, we immediately warned the hemp buying public in these pages and through our fax, electronic networks, and network of industry colleagues and affiliated organizations. Nevertheless on occasion we have kept silent or not made as big a stink as we should have. We did this not out of any fear of reprisals (from whoever), but rather because of our belief in accentuating the positive developments in our infant industry. We somewhat ruefully admit now however, in our fifth full year in the North American Hemp Industry - a grandparent role that not even a handful of other folks can rightly claim, that our good-natured, midwestern upbringing, scientific temperament, love for the subject all worked in the beginning to obscure us from viewing seriously the threat that unchallenged shenanigans in the "rope for dollars" game represented. When we started in the late 80's the infant hemp industry was still being seriously hurt and curtailed by outmoded laws in the US. We certainly did not need the sort of negative behaviors and actions reported, not only by our readers and industry cohorts but experienced first hand ourselves, to cloud the need for or the integrity of the U. S. Hemp Industry. Rest assured from now on we'll be even more diligent in attempting to prevent the little guy from being jerked around or getting cheated in any manner. In the future we hope The Hemp Cop* will be able to jump right in and "nip it in the bud. " We are going to be able to do this through several means. First and foremost we will be the place where "whistleblowers" can turn in their stories, confident that these stories will be held in confidence and thoroughly investigated and verified before we disseminate the information. Second, and equally important, we will support all efforts to maintain a clean industry and will ourselves take responsibility for blowing the whistle, even if no one else will. Third we will be an impartial forum for complaints of any nature regardless where they originate. Fourth, we will attempt to educate our readers when it comes to learning more about the various laws, regulations and codified governing standards that are relevant to the day to day operations of a business in North America. Fifth we will be a conscience of our industry when it comes to its relations with other more established industries. Recognizing that ignorance of a law or ethical code is only an excuse for breaking it the first time and that many of the younger businesses are still green when it comes to business ethics and law we will, hopefully, learn from the mistakes made by ourselves and others and grow from the experience. The Hemp Cop* will in the future spend a great deal of time and print to educate hemp businesses and consumers about what laws they are required to comply with. Failure to comply with basic consumer protection laws such as "The Textile Product Identification Act, " Copy Right, Trademark, and Patent laws, Failure to comply with International Laws on Trade (IE International Commerce Codes and Tariff Rules and Regulations), Failure to comply with state and local business codes, Federal and State Internal Revenue Service Codes, Securities and Exchange Commission laws and other governing rules on financial reporting, disclosure, and investment offering will be the focus of upcoming editions of The Hemp Cop*. --END-- ******** Legal Hemp & Ditch Weed Will Decimate The Illegal Marijuana Industry National Guard and D. E. A. Helps Minnesota Marijuana Farmers Make Crop Stronger!! By John Birrenbach Yes it's a fact, The National Guard assisted D. E. A. are helping the illegal marijuana farmers of Minnesota grow more potent marijuana. It's more a matter of genetics, the re-establishment of a Commercial Cannabis Hemp Industry and a halt of the destruction of "Ditch Weed" in the United States could decimate the illegal outdoor marijuana industry. How is it that this could be true? Well most users, and D. E. A. understand that Sinsemilla (seedless) Marijuana is more sought after and fetches higher prices than seeded marijuana. If Low Potency Cannabis Hemp is cultivated for commercial uses there is no need to weed out the males from the crop, in fact for seed cultivation varieties that have both sexes are preferred as it increases the amount of seed produced. In the case of "Ditch Weed" the males are not weeded out since no farmer is watching the crop. If the males are not weeded out then tremendous amounts of pollen are released into the surrounding area. The end result will be seeds in the marijuana growning in and around the field of commercial hemp or "Ditch Weed". Now comes the genetic factor. The Cannabis cultivated for commercial use and "Ditch Weed" generally have a lower THC content than that produced by the illegal marijuana farmer. In fact anyone who wishes to grow Cannabis for hemp would desire a non-drug strain for the simple reason you don't want people coming in to steal your crop to smoke. When High Potency marijuana is crossed with low potency hemp the result will be a cross between the two. As a matter of mathematics the resulting cross will yield 25% like the Mother, 25% like the father and the remaining 50% a variation of the two. Now the marijuana farmer is always looking to increase potency and thus price and desirability of his crop. The genetic cross will in effect reduce, if not eliminate, their ability to do so. Let me explain. First, out of 100 seeds the best they will get is 25 that are like the mother or potent, with no chance for an increase in potency since their was only low potency on the part of the father. Of those 25 seeds 50% (12-13) will be males and unusable as marijuana. So out of 100 seeds collected from marijuana grown in a hemp area only 12-13 plants will be usable as Marijuana. It's quite simple to figure that this will result in additional work and reduced controll over the marijuana crop and prices received by the marijuana farmer. You would think that if anyone at the D. E. A. really wants to put a stop to illegal marijuana production in the United States they would encourage the cultivation of non-drug strains of Cannabis and instead of eradicating of so called "Ditch Weed" they would help it along and spread it out. @ZEND ************************* Effect of Bacterial and Chemical Retting on Kenaf Fiber Quality Gita Ramaswamy, Cynthia Ruff, and Catherine Boyd Dept. of Home Economics, Mississippi State University May 1994 Abstract: Decorticated kenaf stalks were retted by bacterial and chemical processes. Bacterial retting was done in troughs at a temperature of 30 C. After 10 days of bacterial retting, the stalks were washed in hot water, air dried, combed, and subject to tests for fiber characteristics. Chemical retting was done by boiling stalks in 7% sodium hydroxide for 1 hour, after which there were washed, neutralized in 0.2% acetic acid, washed, air dried, and combed. Fiber characteristics such as bundle strength, elongation at break, color, luster, reed length and gum content were compared for fibers extracted by both processes. Bundle strength, gum content, and reed length were lower for chemically retted fibers as compared with bacterially retted fibers. Gum content of bacterially retted fibers was uniform, and they were superior in luster. Residual gum content of bacterially retted fibers was 21-23% versus 7-12% for chemically retted fibers. Fiber quality from bacterial retting was superior, but a method that combines bacterial and chemical processing may have some merit. The feasibility of large-scale chemical retting and incorporation of fibers in nonwoven and woven textiles is being investigated. Experimental: Kenaf was grown in the Mississippi Delta (1992) using standard procedures. Both varieties in this study were planted at the same row width and plant spacing. Age at harvest was 112 days. Kenaf stems were harvested mechanically and tagged for variety; the varieties were Everglades 41 (E41) and Tainung 1 (T1). The stalks were decorticated at the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department at the Mississippi State University in an experimental mechanical decorticator (patent pending). The decorticated bark was brought to the laboratory and processed. Bacterial Retting: Preliminary retting experiments of the decorticated bark revealed a natural bacterial population already present on the bark, so kenaf stalks were retted in open plastic troughs. The water temperature was monitored and maintained at 30 C (+/- 2 C) throughout the process. Average length of the stalks was 1.8m. Preliminary experiments showed staggered retting to be the best method for obtaining uniform fibers, and so four stalks of each variety, approx. 26cm from the base were retted for five days and then the whole stalks were immersed in the same water for an additional five days (total ten days). Stalks were washed in hot tap water until all the shiny, slippery residues were removed. They were air dried and combed with a soft nylon brush to obtain fibers. Gum content before and after retting process was determined by the method of Das Gupta, and residual gum content was calculated. Chemical Retting: Decorticated bark was chemically processed according to the procedure described by de Guzman with a minor modification. The bark (the entire length) was soaked in 0.85% Triton X-100 (wetting agent) at a fiber-to-liquid (w/v) ratio of 1:10 for one hour. The bark was removed and immersed in 7% NaOH and 0.5% sodium bisulfite (w/v) (NaHSO3), and the fiber to liquid ratio was increased to 1:20. The solution was boiled for one hour, with the fibers submerged in it. The fibers were removed and washed in hot water until the water ran clear, then submerged quickly in a 0.2% acetic acid (v/v) solution for two minutes and again washed thoroughly in hot water. Resulting fibers were air dried and combed. Four stalks of each variety were processed chemically. Measurements: Due to the difficulty in collecting single fibers from the meshy structure of kenaf and the large number of tests to make it reliable, we did not test single fibers. Instead, we used the flat bundle method (1,2), which is quick and simple if the clamps that hold the fiber bundle are efficient. Flat bundle strength is believed to be a good indicator or yarn strength and has a high correlation to the yarn quality index (2). We used the Scott Tensile Tester to measure bundle strength and elongation at break. Preliminary testing suggested an optimum bundle length of 279.4mm and a weight of 1.34g. The effective clasp distance was 103mm and time of break was within 10-20 seconds. Fiber bundle strength was calculated according to Equation 1 (ATSM DS76-88) : We measured total stalk length before and after processing to calculate the loss of reed length. In the bacterial process, preliminary results suggested that staggered retting reduces loss of reed length in the stalks. Bacterially and chemically processed fibers of the two varieties were evaluated by a panel of twelve individuals to determine differences in color and luster, using a seven point Likert-type scale. We used a completely randomized block design for statistical analysis. Gum content data and averages of two determination, and all other properties measured were for six replications. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were separated using the Duncan's multiple range test. From: Institute for Hemp Newsgroups: alt.hemp Subject: Greenleaf News V5#3 2/5 Date: Mon, 3 Oct 94 19:19:17 -0500 Message-ID: Results and Discussion: The two varieties (E41 and T1) exhibited similar gum content before processing (Table 1). Processing had a significant effect on gum content for both varieties. Bacterially processed E41 had a residual gum content of approximately 7%; the processing method had a similar effect on variety T1. Bundle breaking tenacity of bacterially processed kenaf fibers of the two varieties did not differ significantly, but chemical processing significantly reduced the bundle breaking tenacity of both varieties. (Table 1). This may likely be due to the significant reduction in gum content caused by chemical retting. Adding NaHSO3 should have prevented the loss in tenacity to some extent, since it is supposed to reduce the degradative action of oxygen on cellulose in the presence of hot alkali (3). Adding NaHSO3 did not significantly increase fiber bundle tenacity. We believe that reducing the NaOH concentration may prevent loss in strength as has been shown with processing ramie (3). Results with 7% and 1% NaHO, with and without NaHSO3 (Table 2), show that loss in bundle tenacity can be reduced by using 1% NaHO. We tried protocols that combined bacterial and chemical retting with the objective of hastening the retting process without affecting the strength. Bundle tenacity and residual gum content were determined for fibers extracted from the various combinations of treatments (Table 3). There were no differences in tenacity or gum content between bacterially retted fibers (6-10 days), but bacterially processed fibers exhibited significantly higher bundle breaking tenacity than chemically retted fibers. Combining chemical retting with shorter periods (18 hours) of bacterial retting did improve bundle breaking tenacity (Table 3). Also, if the stalks were bacterially retted for three days and then chemically processed, strength loss was prevented. We believe that bundle breaking tenacity may be affected by the residual gum content of resultant fiber bundles, which may depend on the retting process and alkali concentration. Gum removal may change the molecular structure by increasing crystallinity or changing the arrangement of crystallites, as is the case for ramie (8). Therefore we are investigating lignin content, residual gum, and crystallinity index of kenaf fibers to understand the relationship between processing and fiber quality. Although chemical retting is faster than bacterial retting, there is a loss in tenacity with chemical retting. Therefore, a combination of either 18 or 72 hours of bacterial and then chemical processing may be able to provide good quality fibers. Elongation at break (Table 1), indicates the stretch in fibers and is supposed to improve due to HaOH treatment. Sodium Hydroxide did not significantly effect the stretch properties of the two kenaf varieties. Additionally, there were no differences in elongation at break when comparing the two processes (Table 1). Reed length of the stalks was shortened by 18-23% in both bacterial and chemical processes, but there were no varietal effects on the resulting reed length. Loss in reed length can be prevented in the bacterial process by staggered retting and in the chemical process by a weaker solution of NaOH. Bacterially processed fibers were lighter in color and more lustrous than chemically processed fibers (Table 1). We are also studying the feasibility of large scale chemical processing and the incorporation of fibers into woven and nonwoven textiles. @ZEND THE GREENLEAF NEWS Vol 5 #3 "Recording the Re-Emergence of Cannabis Sativa Hemp as America's #1 Agricultural crop" ***************************** The Greenleaf News: Vol 5, #3 Publisher: The Institute for Hemp part 2 ************* U. S. NEEDS TO GET OVER PHOBIA ABOUT VALUABLE CROP: HEMP St. Paul Pioneer Press (ST) - TUESDAY, August 30, 1994\ By: David Morris Once the world's most important textile crop, hemp was banned in the late 1930s because smoking its flowers got you high. For more than half a century, our fear of marijuana stopped virtually any further hemp cultivation. Now hemp is on the verge of a remarkable comeback. In 1993 Britain's first legal cannabis crop in more than 50 years was planted. Hemcorp, a consortium of about 20 farmers, harvested 1,500 acres. A few months ago the European Union enacted final regulations regarding the payment of subsidies to farmers for hemp grown on agricultural set-aside lands. This month Canada's first legal hemp crop in 50 years will be harvested in Ontario by an 1l-member farmer consortium called Hemp Line. In Alberta, Fiona Brody, director of a provincial crop development association, declares, ``(The interest has) spread all over the prairie like wildfire. '' Any day now, the Canadian Parliament will enact legislation to legalize hemp growing throughout Canada. Hemp is the world's oldest commercial crop. Humankind has been using it for some 5,000 years. The word ``canvas'' comes from the Greek word for hemp, Kannabis. In the late 1400s Britain relied so heavily on hemp the king made it illegal for a farmer not to grow hemp. The Gutenberg Bible was printed on hemp paper. Thomas Jefferson smuggled hemp seeds from China into France and then brought them to America and started a major hemp program. ``Make the most of the India Hemp Seed and sow it everywhere, '' George Washington proclaimed. The first two drafts of the American Declaration of Independence were printed on hemp. A few years ago those promoting the legalization of hemp were primarily people who saw it as a backdoor way to legalize marijuana. Today, hemp's most aggressive and effective advocates are farmers and environmentalists who see it as an economically viable and environmentally benign alternative crop. ``Hemp can save the earth'' is their immodest but by no means indefensible slogan. Hemp can be grown from northern Canada to the southern United States. It requires much less fertilizer and pesticides than most commercial crops. All parts of the hemp plant are useful. Hempseed oil is among the lowest in saturated fats. For nutritional value, hemp butter puts peanut butter to shame. This fall hemp oil-based shampoos, facial creams and salad dressings will be sold by the newly formed Swiss Hemp Trading company. In its debut in London, hemp lip balm sold out in weeks. The hemp plant yields several times more pulp per acre than trees, and grows to maturity in only 100 days. Paper made from hemp lasts for centuries, compared to 25-80 years for paper made from wood pulp, and can be recycled more times. Making paper from hemp requires less bleaching and less sulfuric acid. Companies making prototype construction materials from hemp claim they rival strong lumber. Levi Strauss's original trousers made for gold diggers were derived from hemp. Now British designer Hussein Chalayan and the sporty clothing company Esprit are selling hemp-derived clothes and fashion accessories. Lynda Gross, a designer with Esprit, insists, ``It's a beautiful fabric. '' What about marijuana? The European Union's regulations require that hemp must contain negligible quantities of THC, the ingredient that makes people high. In fact, cannabis grown for hemp has been specially developed to emphasize tall stalks, like sugar cane. Unlike marijuana plantations, hemp fields are planted at high densities. Indeed, cannabis grown for hemp might not be recognized as marijuana. According to those in the industry, the demand for hemp in America has already outstripped the world supply. In the coming years Americans will be buying more and more hemp-based clothes, shampoos, paper, foods, fuels and construction materials. Unfortunately, our hysteria about drugs may make us one of the last countries to permit domestic hemp farming. And if our farmers fall behind other countries, so will our manufacturing industries. U. S. paper manufacturers will not learn how to process hemp if there is no domestic supply. In 1942, the U. S. Department of Agriculture made a 15-minute black- and-white film called Hemp for Victory. In World War II the ban on hemp was temporarily lifted after the Japanese cut off our supplies of hemp from the Philippines. The film urged farmers to grow the plant to provide fiber for making rope and other products for the war. By 1943 American farmers harvested 375,000 acres of hemp. A few months ago a public library in Globe, Ariz., tried to show the film. Two hours before the showing, the mayor intervened. He thought the film would encourage kids to smoke dope. If we are going to reap the numerous benefits of hemp for our economy, we need to overcome this almost primitive fear. The world has changed its mind about hemp. Will we? Morris, an author, lecturer and consultant, lives in St. Paul. @ZEND ************* LETTERS TO THE INSTITUTE FOR HEMP FROM: Warren Peterson Dear John, Aug 10, 1994 It was a pleasure meeting you and interesting to hear this fresh view of the commercial importance hemp could have. I am nor sure if any of farms acres could be diverted to anything other than cattle feed but, it looks like hemp could (finally) be an alternative crop which could compete commercially with the traditional corn, beans and alfalfa. In these years of dwindling government crop supports, any crop that can divert acres from corn or beans will, in itself, support or improve crop prices, and that should please everyone producers and taxpayers alike. So therefore, I think you will find me to be an advocate of establishing hemp as a viable farm crop alternative. In this part of central Minnesota, as elsewhere, the diary industry is going through some big changes. There are many farms with idle land and no way of making them profitable without having cattle or government price supports for crop farming. I think that I could help find at least a few people, if not myself, who farm and are looking for such an alternative as hemp may prove to be. Also, why not enlist the help of people directly involved with mainstream agriculture? Especially the editors of magazines such as Farm Journal and Successful Farming. Sincerely, Warren Peterson *** From: Hemp Traders Wed August 24, 1994 I was fortunate to locate a compete copy of the California Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. This law was written in California to clarify and specify the exact requirements necessary to have either foods or products labeled as "Organic". This law arose out of the confusion created by different companies, farms, and organization having different criteria for labeling foods and products as "organic". The law is strict and requires that not only the products in question was grown and processed without chemicals or pesticides, but that the land prior to where it was grown free from pesticides and/or chemicals for several years. Further, all claims must be certified by an authorized certifying agent. While it is true that this law only applies to California, I believe it will serve as a model for other states to adopting similar laws regulating the use of the "organic" label. I realize that there has been some confusions regarding the term "organic" when it is applied to hemp or the hemp products that we sell including raw hemp fiber, textiles, apparel items, seeds, etc. I urge all of you to read or at least skim through this law and think about how it applies to your hemp products. I believe you will all agree that no one can make the claim that their hemp is "organic" as it is defined by this law. I have read several environmental business guides and all of them stress that a company should never make an environmental claim that it cannot back up with substantial evidence. Claims that are determined to be false could greatly hurt a companies credibility and the credibility of the industry as a whole. By politely passing on this information to our customers in regards to this law, we can reduce the risk of damaging the credibility of our young industry. Sincerely, Lawrence Serbin, CEO, Hemp Traders ******************* Hemp's Half Acre Grower's Sanctioned Field Plowed Under as Highly Illegal Los Angeles Times (LT) SUNDAY August 28, 1994 By: RUSS LOAR COSTA MESA - For a brief few months this year, Chris Boucher was the first American entrepreneur in nearly half a century to grow hemp legally in the United States. By the end of July, he was the last. Boucher, 32, owns the Costa Mesa-based Hempstead Co., which imports hemp fabric from China and Hungary and fashions it into backpacks, clothing, caps and accessories sold at more than 1,000 stores nationwide. Only a few of his products are emblazoned with the marijuana leaf that has made hemp the pariah of textiles in the United States. hemp is Cannabis sativa, the same plant that produces marijuana. After winning permission from the U. S. Department of Agriculture and the Imperial County Agriculture Commission, Boucher planted one-half acre of genetically engineered hemp seeds last March in the Imperial Valley. His quest was to develop the world's highest-quality hemp and demonstrate the plant's economic potential, while ridding hemp's image of the tarnish of the drug culture. But with little warning, on July 25 Imperial County narcotics officers plowed under his crop of hybrid hemp on orders from the state attorney general's office. Boucher says state law enforcement officials were worried about setting a precedent. "They evidently looked at it as a kind of legalization, " Boucher said. "Somehow, the state overruled the county and the federal government at the last minute. " Boucher's 16,000 hemp plants were nearing maturity on federally owned land at a U. S. Department of Agriculture station on Highway 86 in Brawley, a scorching hot, sub-sea-level city that offers near-perfect growing conditions for hemp. After years of grappling with the uneven quality and limited supply of hemp fabric from overseas, Boucher sought permission to grow a test crop to prove to U. S. officials that the controversial plant could ignite the agriculture industry with its multiplicity of uses. The U. S. Department of Agriculture gave permission to its Imperial Valley research facility to proceed with the experiment. "We aren't asking to legalize the drug, " said Boucher, a Laguna Beach resident. "We just want to legalize the industrial use of hemp. We want to establish an industry compliance program, so we can develop a model for this industry. " But Imperial County narcotics officers say the federal Agriculture Department violated state laws by allowing the illegal crop to be grown in Imperial County. They say local children were sneaking into the unguarded field and stealing plants. Boucher "did have permission, but the circumstances in which he got the permission are under question at this time, " said Steve Gossman, commander of the Imperial County Narcotics Task Force. "I work for the From: Institute for Hemp Newsgroups: alt.hemp Subject: Greenleaf News V5#3 3/5 Date: Mon, 3 Oct 94 19:22:50 -0500 Message-ID: state attorney general, and we felt at the time that it was an illegal crop. We plowed that sucker under. " State drug enforcement officials say they believe the federal government clearly overstepped its bounds. And they say an investigation is underway to determine if Boucher should be prosecuted. Although Imperial County Agriculture Commissioner Stephen Birdsal originally approved the experiment, he later rescinded his approval after Gossman contacted him. "Arrangements were made to grow this with the county agriculture commissioner's approval, " Gossman said. "We contacted him and told him our concerns. We decided collectively between the agriculture commissioner and the state attorney general's office to plow it under. " Federal agriculture officials could not be reached for comment. "Even though that's federal land down there, it's up to the locals to determine what's legal and what's not legal, " said Michael Van Winkle, spokesman for the law enforcement division of the California Department of Justice. "Our folks were doing their job down there. " Boucher argues that the amount of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the drug that gives marijuana its potency, is negligible in hemp plants that produce the highest-quality fabric. A person would have to smoke about a pound of the Imperial Valley hemp to feel any effect from the drug, Boucher said. Hemp was last grown legally in the United States for commercial uses during World War II, because of shortages of raw materials. The U. S. government even produced a propaganda film at the time entitled, "hemp for Victory. " Inside Boucher's musty, diminutive company offices in Costa Mesa, where bolts of fabric and piles of backpacks, caps and T-shirts are stored, a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence bears a handwritten note claiming that the original document was printed on 100% hemp. hemp advocates are big on American history. Boucher says the first American flag, Conestoga wagon covers and the original Levi's jeans were all made of hemp. In 1794, George Washington created incentive programs for farmers to grow hemp, purportedly saying, "Make the most of the hemp seed and sow it everywhere, " according to literature circulated by hemp legalization advocates. Thomas Jefferson is known to have been a onetime hemp farmer, and Benjamin Franklin once owned a mill that made paper from hemp that was ground into pulp. Boucher says an acre of hemp can produce four times as much paper as an acre of trees. After the close of World War II, the cultivation of hemp was outlawed in the United States. But stalks and non-drug products manufactured from the plant can be imported legally. Boucher founded the Hempstead Co. in 1990, inspired by Ed Adair, known as the legendary "Captain Ed" in the hemp legalization movement. Adair was among the first proponents of an initiative to decriminalize marijuana for industrial, medical and recreational uses. Boucher was manufacturing women's bathing suits at the time. "He kept saying, 'You should make clothes out of hemp. ' But we couldn't find the hemp, " Boucher said. "It was so rare back then. " After hundreds of phone calls to textile companies in search of the elusive material, Boucher tracked down a Chinese hemp producer and began importing the fabric for use in the United States. By 1992, the Hempstead Co. reported $200,000 in annual earnings. Boucher says the company will earn nearly $3 million in revenues by the end of 1994, thanks to sales in such diverse retail outlets as Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and the QVC television home shopping network. Hempstead also sells products in several Euroeean countries and has a retail store in the French Quarter of New Orleans. "This goes beyond POGs, " Boucher said. "We think this is going to be a major industry. It's inevitable that the big, big industrial companies are going to come in. " Hempstead products range from clothing, wallets and backpacks to hemp massage oil, lip balm and hemp cereal. The Hempstead folks even are working on a 100% hemp surfboard. But Boucher says demand for hemp products continues to far outstrip the supply. He is attempting to re-create his aborted hemp-growing experiment in Louisiana, but Boucher also says he has not given up on Imperial Valley. He is still puzzled by the destruction of his crop and continues to search for an explanation from state and federal officials. "We had an actual land lease to grow all this hemp there, " Boucher said. "Now, I think they're really worried that they went outside their local police jurisdiction. I've called these guys 10 times to try and ask them what I did wrong and they never return my calls. " Rolled and Ready: An investigation is underway to determine if Chris Boucher of Laguna Beach should be prosecuted for growing hemp, the same plant that produces marijuana. Above, rolls of processed hemp, which Boucher uses to make backpacks, clothing, caps, accessories. @ZEND ********************* THE GREENLEAF NEWS Vol 5 #3 "Recording the Re-Emergence of Cannabis Sativa Hemp as America's #1 Agricultural crop" ***************************** The Greenleaf News: Vol 5, #3 Publisher: The Institute for Hemp part 3 ************* The Institute for Hemp Responds to LA Times Article RE: Hemp's Half Acre Grower's Sanctioned Field Plowed Under as Highly Illegal September 1, 1994 Dear LA Times, I find it necessary to call into question many of the statements made in the article referenced above. "For a brief few months this year, Chris Boucher was the first American entrepreneur in nearly half a century to grow hemp legally in the United States. " Let's make this clear, Chris Boucher was not the first person in nearly half a decade to grow hemp in the United States. Long before Mr. Boucher even thought about hemp there was Prof. Paul Mahlberg at the University of Indiana who has in excess of Twenty years of ongoing Cannabis Hemp cultivation and experimentation experience, additionally there was Prof. Bob Robinson at the University of Minnesota who cultivated hemp in the late 1960's, in addition to these two fine individuals there is the University of Mississippi with an ongoing crop of hemp since the early 1960's. These LEGAL crops of Hemp have never been eradicated or questioned since they are legally sanctioned crops. To say that Mr. Boucher's crop is, was, legal is a total fabrication of the facts, had the crop been legal and sanctioned then the crop would not have been destroyed by the Narcotics officers. The statement " a scorching hot, sub-sea-level city that offers near- perfect growing conditions for hemp. " is outrageous. Marijuana is best grown in these regions but certainly not "Good Fibre Hemp. " Had Mr. Boucher done any research into the cultivation of Cannabis he would have discovered the same facts that the USDA discovered when the crop was reinstated during World War II. These facts being that Hemp as a non-drug commercial crop is best grown, and produces the best fibre, in the industrial crop lands of the Midwest. It is no mere coincidence that the Department of Agriculture picked the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Kentucky as the growing region for hemp to meet the needs of the war department during World War I & II. It is also clear that in the past the USDA had sought to expand the cultivation of Hemp outside this region and meet with little or no success in cultivation experiments. Experiments in the past, conducted in California and the Imperial Valley concluded in a total failure in the ability to grow "good Hemp, " this may be why they never cultivated more than a few acres of hemp and instead grew cotton. The statement "The U. S. Department of Agriculture gave permission to its Imperial Valley research facility to proceed with the experiment. " lacks any basis in fact. I and others have had extensive conversations with members of the U. S. Department of Agriculture and they have continually denied that any permission has ever been granted to conduct experiments in the cultivation of Cannabis at this or any site. They simply do not grant permission for the cultivation of Cannabis or controlled substances that is the job of the D. E. A. I had prior to late July repeatedly asked Mr. Boucher to provide any sort of evidence regarding approval, permission or permit regarding his crop and have received none. Since it is the responsibility of the Drug Enforcement Agency to license the cultivation of ANY Cannabis grown within the United States it is unlikely that the USDA would even attempt to override the D. E. A. in this matter. In fact the U. S. Department of Agriculture has a former D. E. A. officer as their liaison with the D. E. A. for just such purposes and that no U. S. D. A. official has the authority to override the D. E. A. in these matters. Regarding the Declaration of Independence, The First American Flag, Conestoga wagon covers and original Levi's Jean being made of hemp, I challenge anyone to provide any documentation on this. I have made contacts with the Manufacturer's of Levi's and they claim that all records regarding this were destroyed during the Great San Francisco earth quake, they have also repeatedly denied any knowledge of the types of fiber used in their original jeans. As far as the Declaration of Independence and first American flags being made from hemp while it is possible that some hemp may be in the materials, to my knowledge there is no documentation regarding this and to make this claim destroys the credibility of the person making the statement. While it is documented that George Washington thought highly of the Hemp plant and made numerous statements regarding its utility he never created any incentive programs for farmers to grow hemp. While it is true that "Benjamin Franklin once owned a mill that made paper" to say that his paper was made from 100% hemp when the facts of the time clearly show that hemp was under limited cultivation is a complete distortion of the facts. It is possible that at times fabric scraps used to make his paper had portions of hemp in them, but the main fiber used to make paper came from Cotton. Prior to the start of World War II (1938) not "After the close of World War II, the cultivation of hemp was outlawed in the United States. " The restrictions for its cultivation were relaxed during the war in order to meet material shortages. I hope that before you or the LA Times decide to do another story about Hemp that they will check with the re-leaders and re-founders of the New Hemp Industry for the accuracy of statements made by those interviewed. Sincerely, John Birrenbach The Institute for Hemp *************************** The Institute Responds to David Morris Editorial RE: U. S. NEEDS TO GET OVER PHOBIA ABOUT VALUABLE CROP: HEMP By: David Morris Sept. 2, 1994 Dear Editors & Mr. Morris, I must congratulate the Pioneer Press and David Morris for the editorial of Aug. 30th 1994 titled "U. S. NEEDS TO GET OVER PHOBIA ABOUT VALUABLE CROP: HEMP" I must, however, take exception to the statement that the first two drafts of the Declaration of Independence being printed on hemp paper. While hemp was used to make some paper in colonial times, no definitive tests have been done on the document to convince me that hemp is in the First Two Drafts. It should be noted as well that not only is the U. S. farmer being restricted from cultivating a crop that could be worth a mere $450-600 per acre. We are also denying American companies like International Harvester and Kimberly Clark the opportunity to compete in the world market place. Only forgotten now, is another segment of our society that is being denied the economic benefits of hemp, the American worker. With the increase of hemp cultivation world wide there is now a tremendous need for technology in the processing of hemp. While great strides have been made in the area of the genetics of hemp, very little has been done in the planting, harvesting and processing technologies. This is an area where the United States excels. It was our ability to generate new technology that made the United States the "Bread Basket" for the world. We could now use hemp to launch ourselves into as yet unexplored areas of farm technology to the benefit of our economy. Unfortunately with the state of current laws it is unlikely that U. S. Farmers and Manufacturers will be allowed to take part in this economic boon. Without strong interest from the general public and the interest of private industries it is not likely that the current administration will make the necessary change. Sincerely, John Birrenbach ******************** ACTION ALERT UNION BAY SPORTSWARE, ELLIOT BAY LINE NOT HEMP May 31 , 1994 The company UnionBay Sportsware's has a line of products called Elliot Bay. These products are labeled Hemp but are not "Hemp" products but instead Cotton. I spoke with Bruce Walker who is in charge of the Elliot Bay line and he stated that his company is only following an international color standard and will not change its labeling practicing. He was basically uncooperative explaining that Spiegel, JC Penny, & J Crewe were all using the same term. It is my suggestion that you prepare letters to be sent to Mr. Walker and his superiors showing your displeasure with Union Bay Sportsware. You are also encouraged to send letters to any retail outlet that sells their products. Be sure to use the word "MARIJUANA" in EVERY letter. This is a time when the Term MARIJUANA can be used to our advantage. Explain to them that they are using a term synonymous with an ILLEGAL drug. We must stop the Hemp Fraud. Letters should be sent to: UNION BAY SPORTSWARE SEATTLE WA ATTN: Gary Smalley 206-298-2146 Fax 206-282-8889 Voice *********************** TBS To Do Second Show About Hemp!! Turner Broadcasting has prepared a folowup to its spring show on Hemp. This one is to be broadcast as a part of the Network Earth Program scheduled for Oct 16. Everyone is encouraged to watch this program and respond to TBS at 1 CNN Center Atlanta GA, 30348. From: Institute for Hemp Newsgroups: alt.hemp Subject: Greenleaf News V5#3 4/5 SPECIAL INSERT LISTING OF HEMP COMPANIES Date: Mon, 3 Oct 94 19:25:09 -0500 Message-ID: ********************** Editorial: It's been an interesting past two months. Starting with the debacle in the Imperial Valley, and ending with the news that TBS Network Earth will do another show about hemp on Oct 16th. We seem to be seeing a increase in the misinformation about hemp coming from of all sources, the hemp industry itself. As a founding member of the industry, supposedly based on truth and facts, I find it appalling that the stories being written about Hemp companies across the country are so full of undocumented information. If I ever see another story about Ben Franklin and his Hemp paper mill or "Levis were made from hemp" it will be too soon. We need to rely on the total truth not fiction or undocumented facts. The truth behind Levis is that the records, that contained the information about their first jeans are made from hemp, have been destroyed by the great San Fran. Earthquake. Until someone comes up with a pair or really old jeans that can be tested and documented we simply can't let this misinformation come from our lips. We are also introducing a new column titled "The Hemp Cop*" in future issues we will focus on the Ethical standards the industry needs to follow. On a happier note, we have seen the First Minnesota Retail store moved from Albert Lea MN to Minneapolis. Located down on Lake St in the heart of Minneapolis they have them selves a pretty fine location. The spot that they are in is the former location of TThe Cosmic Butterfly' a former Dead Head shop, so they still have a few people coming in that think it's the Butterfly which works in their favor. Many will remember that Jay is the sponsor for "Festival for Project E. A. R. T. H. " an event held in Southern Minnesota in the Fall of the year. Speaking of which, the event went off again this year, under sever restrictions from the local officials, no arrests or complaints were lodged and the event was great. Sales of Hemp products was down from previous years which has shown me that the typical hemp market has become saturated and we all need to look for new markets to get the word out to. Hope that everyone is geared up for Christmas. Hemp is Victory, John Birrenbach Editor ****************** THE GREENLEAF NEWS Vol 5 #3 "Recording the Re-Emergence of Cannabis Sativa Hemp as America's #1 Agricultural crop" ***************************** The Greenleaf News: Vol 5, #3 Publisher: The Institute for Hemp part 4 ****************** END OF ISSUE ****************** SPECIAL INSERT ****************** The Complete True Hemp Co. Directory *** IMPORTERS: *** AMERICAN HEMP MERCANTILE 1917 SMITH TOWER SEATTLE, WA 98104 *** AMERICAN HEMP TRADING CO PO BOX 2279 MERRIFIELD, VA 22116 *** DANFORTH INTERNATIONAL 3156 RT 88 PT. PLEASANT, NJ 08792 *** EARTH GOODS USA 2124 KITTRIDGE ST #127 BERKELEY, CA 94704 *** EASTWINDS TRADING CO PO BOX 41 OBRIAN, OR 97534 *** ECO DRAGON 591 ORANGE ST NEW HAVEN CT 06511 *** ECOSOURCE PAPER PO BOX 5134 VICTORIA BC V8R 6N3 *** EXOTIC GIFTS PO BOX 918 FORTUNA, CA 95540 *** EXQUISITE PRODUCTS 10450 WILSHIRE BLVD #3E LOS ANGLES CA 90024 *** HEMP TEXTILES INT 3200 30TH ST BELLINGHAM, WA 98225 *** HEMP TRADERS 2130 COLBY AV #1 LOS ANGLES, CA 90025 *** CANVASMAKER INC. 2111 E BURNSIDE PORTLAND, OR 97204 *** JOINT VENTURE HEMPERY PO BOX 15551 MAIN STATION VANCOUVER BC V6B 5B3 *** OHIO HEMPERY 7002 SR 329 GUYSVILLE, OH 45735 *** QUICK TRADING 1635 E 22ND ST OAKLAND, CA 94606 *** TREEFREE ECO-PAPER 121 SW SALMON #1100 PORTLAND, OR 97204 *** TWO STAR DOG 1526 62ND ST EMERYVILLE, CA 94608 *** MANUFACTURERS: *** 100% HEMP 461 WEST APPACHE TR #130 APACHE JCT, AZ 85220 *** 4:20 CLOTHING COMPANY 304 CONCORD RD KNOXVILLE, TN 37922 *** ACTON & COMPANY 1709 SOLANO AV BERKELEY, CA 94707 *** AH HEMP 1709 SOLANO AV BERKELEY, CA 94707 *** ALL POINTS EAST PO BOX 221776 CARMEL, CA 93922 *** AMERICAN HEMP CO PO BOX 43526 PHILIDELPHIA , PA 19106 *** ARTHA CONSCIOUS CONNCETIONS 149 LEONARD DR CONCORD, CA 94518 *** C&S SPECIALTY LUMBER 23005 N COBURG RD HARRISBURG, OR 97446 *** CANNABIS CLOTHES PO BOX 1167 OCCIDENTAL, CA 95465 *** CANVAS HEMP CO PO BOX 3705 DANA PT, CA 92629 *** CB TRASH 168 COMMERCIAL DR #2 BOSEMAN, MT 59715 *** CHARLES GARY 5417 LAWTON AV OAKLAND, CA 94618 *** C.H.A PO BOX 9068 CHANDLER HTS, AZ 85227 *** D.R.E.D. PO BOX 27 WAUKEGAN, IL 60085 *** DEEP SEA OVENS 501 N 36TH ST #236 SEATTLE, WA 98103 *** EVANSCENT PRESS PO BOX 64 LEGETT, CA 95585 *** FEATHERLIES HEMP 1251 DOMINION RD VICTORIA, BC V9A 4G3 *** GOT IT COVERED PO BOX 14627 SANTA ROSA, CA 95402 *** GREAT AMERICAN HEMP CO PO BOX 4821 ARCATA, CA 95521 *** GREAT AMERICAN HEMP CO 909 BALLARD ST #B ALTA MONTE SPRNG, FL 32701 *** HATS TO GO 8302 26TH AV NW SEATTLE, WA 98117 *** HAWIIAN HEMP CO PO BOX 2056 PAHOA, HI 95778 *** HEADCASE 150 BAY ST JERSEY CITY NJ 07302 *** HEADTRIPS 372 SHRISMAN AV VENTURA, CA 93001 *** HEMP ECT INC 37505 FOUNTIAN RD ZEPHYRHILLS, FL 33541 *** HEMP ESSENTIALS BOX 151 CAZADARO, CA 95421 *** HEMP HERITAGE 3600 S HARBOR #214 CHANNEL ISL HRB, CA 93035 *** HEMPCO 1063 EAGLE VIEW COL SPR, CO 80909 *** HEMPFULLY YOURS PO BOX 923 OCCIDENTAL, CA 95465 *** HEMPSTEAD CO 2060 PLACENTIA #B2 COSTA MESA, CA 92627 *** HEMPTATIONS 1124 1/2 BROADWAY From: Institute for Hemp Newsgroups: alt.hemp Subject: Greenleaf News V5#3 5/5 SPECIAL INSERT Part 2 Date: Mon, 3 Oct 94 19:26:33 -0500 Message-ID: FT WAYNE, IN 46802 *** HUNGRY BEAR HEMP FOODS PO BOX 12175 EUGENE, OR 97440 *** LINDA KIMMONS SALON 848 N LA CIENEDA BLVD #204 N HOLLYWOOD, CA 90069 *** MANASHTASH MTN PRODUCTS 6920 ROOSEVELT WAY NE #224 SEATTLE WA 98115 *** MERELL KARHU USA 55 GREEN MTN DR S BURLINGTON, VT 05403 *** MINDFUL PRODUCTS 20095 FIRST ST W SONOMA , CA 95476 *** MORNING STAR SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING 45 E MAIN ST JOSEPH, UT 84739 *** ORIGINAL SOURCES PO BOX 7137 BOULDER, CO 80306 *** SEXTON BELT CO 506 LEE PLACE FREDRICK, MD 21702 *** SIMPLY HEMP PO BOX 780 OCCIDENTAL, CA 95465 *** SUNSPORTS 159 MAIN ST #201 STAMFORD, CT 06904 *** TERRA PAX 1362 PACIFIC AV #213 SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060 *** THE INSTITUTE FOR HEMP PO BOX 65130 ST PAUL, MN 55165 *** USED RUBBER 597 HAIGHT ST SAN FRAN, CA 94117 *** WISE UP REACTION WEAR 1511 W WESTMORE RD TUCSON, AZ 85705 *** DISTRIBUTORS: VISIONARY CONSULTING 20095 FIRST ST W SONOMA, CA 95476 *** HEMP CO-OP PO BOX 634 ALYTADENA, CA 91003 *** CANNABIS IN AMSTERDAM 353 NZ VODRBURGWAR #B16 102 AMSTERDAM HOLLAND *** HEMP FACTORY OUTLET 1007 LINCOLN AV MELBRN, FL 32901 *** RETAILERS: CANNABEST 235 TANK FARM RD SAN LOUIS OBISBO, CA 93401 *** EARTH OPTIONS 6930 MC KINLEY SEBASTOPOL, CA 95473 *** WHOLE HEMP CATALOG PO BOX 37 NEW PLYMOUTH, OH 45654 *** HEMP HAVEN PO BOX 1364 WESTMINSTER, CO 80030 *** EARTH GENERAL STORE 10843 82ND AV EDMONDTON, AL T6E 4G3 *** FEATHERLY'S MAGIC & HEMP SHOP 1251 DOMINION RD VICTORIA, BC V9A 4G3 *** THE FRIENDLY STRANGER 226 QUEEN ST W, UPPER TORONTO, ON *** GREENER ALTERNITIVES 914 MISSION ST #A SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060 *** HEMPSTEAD COMPANY STORE 601 CHARTES ST NEW ORLEANS, LA *** HEMP STYLE 1499 WAGSTAFF RD #C PARADISE, CA 95969 *** SATIVA STATION 232 NORTH LBJ SAN MARCOS, TX 78666 *** STILL EAGLE 557 WARD ST NELSON, BC *** THE THIRD STONE 520 W LAKE ST MPLS, MN 55408 *** TRADERS OF THE LOST ART 1429 PEARL ST BOULDER, CO 80302 *** UNCLE SAMS EARTH & HEMP STORE 1109 N JACKSON #7&8 BLOOMINGTON, IN 47404 *** HEMP CLOTHES & MORE NEUBAUER BISMARSTR. 5,D-58089 HAGEN GERMANY *** HEMP BC 1281 W GEORGIA 9TH FL VANCOVER, BC V6E 3J7 ****************************** DONE END DONE END ****************************** *************