<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Re: [GSBN] Fwd: STRAW & HEMP BLDGS</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11.0px'>Thanks for sharing Houses Made Of Hemp Could Help Combat Climate Change. <BR>
<BR>
You probably know about the web site <U>www.votehemp.com</U>. They share a great deal of information including the latest updates on legislative action in various states and by Congress.<BR>
<BR>
Here’s the tally of U.S. State Industrial Hemp Legislation: <BR>
To date, twenty-eight states have introduced hemp legislation and sixteen have passed legislation; nine (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Vermont and West Virginia) have removed barriers to its production or research. State-by-state information is available at <U>www.votehemp.com/legislation.html<BR>
</U><BR>
>From Vote Hemp:<BR>
Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009 Bill # H.R.1866<BR>
Original Sponsor: Ron Paul (R-TX 14th)<BR>
Cosponsor Total: 15 (last sponsor added 09/09/2009) 11 Democrats 4 Republicans <BR>
About This Legislation:<BR>
4/2/2009--Introduced. Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of "marihuana." Defines "industrial hemp" to mean the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of such plant with a delta-nine tetrahydrocannabinol concentration that does not exceed .3 percent on a dry weight basis. Grants a state regulating the growing and processing of industrial hemp exclusive authority, in any criminal or civil action or administrative proceeding, to determine whether any such plant meets that concentration limit. <BR>
<BR>
I hope you all won’t mind me sharing a personal note about our efforts in Nebraska to remove restrictions on growing hemp in this state.<BR>
<BR>
After WWII when all of the chemical products came onto the market including rope, the hemp rope industry that had prospered for many years along the Platte River valley in Nebraska collapsed – everyone switched to chemically based products. A number of people in the state, including me, have been sending information to the Nebraska Legislature about the benefits of growing hemp for several years now. At one point, a bill was drafted and discussed by the Agriculture Committee but was never brought to the floor of the Unicameral for vote. This law would have allowed farmers to apply for a permit to grow industrial hemp on a prescribed number of acres. The applicant would be subject to background check and, if hemp was grown, the crop would be periodically inspected. <BR>
<BR>
After voters approved a change to term limits for the state senators, I received five responses for more information in reply to the email I sent out at the beginning of the legislative session – no responses were received by me from any legislator prior to this. ( Maybe we should have term limits at a higher level, too.) A number of people continue to work with the state senators to encourage them to bring the bill back to committee and the Legislature for discussion – and approval. Maybe this time we’ll have success.<BR>
<BR>
Maybe one day soon the USA will catch up again with the rest of the world.<BR>
<BR>
Joyce<BR>
--------------- <BR>
Joyce Coppinger, Executive Director<BR>
The Green Prairie Foundation for Sustainability<BR>
PO Box 22706, Lincoln NE 68542-2706<BR>
<jc10508@windstream.net><BR>
www.greenprairiefoundation.org<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Monaco, Courier New"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10.0px'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'><BR>
<BR>
Friends, <BR>
This was sent from a friend in the northeast working on issues of sustainability and peace. I like the objective validation it lends to what we have always believed.<BR>
Hope you are all enjoying end of summer/beginning of autumn days (and visa versa to those down under).<BR>
Judy<BR>
Judy Knox and Matts Myhrman<BR>
Out On Bale<BR>
1037 E. Linden St.<BR>
Tucson, Az 85719<BR>
520-622-6896<BR>
judyknox42@aol.com<BR>
mattsmyhrman@aol.com<BR>
<BR>
Each of us can and must champion the evolutionary breakthroughs necessary to sustain all life. The journey of a champion is difficult, AND our access to a joyful life.<BR>
Judy Knox<BR>
<HR ALIGN=CENTER SIZE="3" WIDTH="95%"></SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Monaco, Courier New"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10.0px'>_______________________________________________<BR>
GSBN mailing list<BR>
GSBN@greenbuilder.com<BR>
<a href="http://greenbuilder.com/mailman/listinfo/GSBN">http://greenbuilder.com/mailman/listinfo/GSBN</a><BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Monaco, Courier New"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10.0px'><BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT>
</BODY>
</HTML>