Posted on 05/17/2014 3:34:33 PM PDT by wonkowasright
Kentucky officials say the Drug Enforcement Administration is breaking the law in an attempt to illegally ruin the state’s industrial hemp pilot program.
The Bluegrass State legalized industrial hemp in 2013 and the federal farm bill signed by President Barack Obama in February allows states to grow it for research.
Industrial hemp superficially resembles marijuana, but has much lower concentrations of psychoactive THC. It’s been used for centuries for making rope, clothes and other items, but growing it was illegal for decades in the U.S.
Earlier this month, the DEA seized 250 pounds of hemp seeds en route to the University of Kentucky from Italy. The package was first flagged by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...
Kentucky should immediately begin growing and harvesting their own seed. Hemp matures to fiber stage in 60-90 days and to grain in 110-150 days.
And Kentucky should begin to do so immediately, discreetly, while still playing cat and mouse with the DEA over imported seed. Thus, even if the DEA keeps being obnoxious, Kentucky will still get its seed.
It's a state fighting with a federal agency.
/johnny
True but the Federal Farm Bill is the USDA ultimately.
/johnny
Doesn’t look like much fighting anyway .... I didn’t see the update at bottom @ 3pm
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Federal attorneys said the seeds would be released within two business days if Kentucky officials apply for a controlled substance import permit, she says, adding they assured no unforeseen strings would be attached.
State officials plan to file a permit application Friday afternoon.
/johnny
what to several agencies are fighting each other in this story. I must have missed it.
I disagree with you. The problem is doing it discreetly as you suggest. Kentucky needs to get in there face. They should call out the law enforcement and tell the FeDz to get out. there must be a wimp Democrat governor in that state.
Actually, I was suggesting that they do it both ways. Keep up the struggle against the feds, while at the same time getting their own grain supply. So, even if the feds win, they lose.
You have to have the plants first from other seeds before you can do that...that's why they needed these to get started.
Yes, there is a Dem governor. This was authorized in the farm bill, so I don’t get what the DEA is doing. It’s the Agriculture Commissioner James Comer that is the point man on this pilot project...the only Republican in state constitutional office at present. He will probably be running for governor himself in 2015.
I understood your point. It is not a bad approach. I’m just tired of states crying instead of just taking control of a situation. Congress is worthless.
States have to do a bizarre tap dance for an odd reason, not widely known. In past, the SCOTUS has ruled that federal courts are superior to state courts, and that congress is superior to state legislatures; but it has *never* ruled that the POTUS is superior to state governors.
The only way the POTUS can force a governor to comply is by sending in the army. Literally. The last time it was done was by Eisenhower against Bill Clinton’s mentor, Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, to force the integration of Little Rock high school. Eisenhower sent in the 101st Airborne division.
In any event, this means that to thwart the federals, states must avoid making it a purely judicial or legislative action, and have it done as much as possible through the office of their governor.
This is especially true of 10th Amendment issues, where the federal courts have often ruled against the states.
I’m nominating you for the most informative post of the month. Much appreciate the good information. Thanks.
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