All photos are Michigan based Conscious Clothing Designer of Industrial Hemp Garments Etsy Shop
This is a must read post for any advocate of smart Michigan based industry ideas. I was given permission to share the content of this e-mail letter written by Mr. Everett Swift, who is executive director of Michgan Hemp.Org . The following is an abreviated version of that message.
"Hello friends in The Garment Industry,
MIHEMP had our Annual Meeting on Saturday and made a decision to support a "Farmer Fund", the aim of this fund is to raise three thousand dollars to be used for an application fee for a permit to grow Industrial Hemp from the DEA.The Farmer Fund will be separate from our MIHEMP funding.
Now, I know that many of you are thinking why on earth would we invest money into something like this?, the DEA is never going to approve the permit, if it were that easy someone would already be growing the crop.
First off if that is what you are thinking you are right, it would be three thousand dollars wasted on a permit that will never get approved and I hate the idea of one red cent going to the DEA for any purpose.
But, it may not be such a waste if you look at it from another angle, as our attorney Matt Abel pointed out at the meeting, you can't challenge a decision by the DEA if there has been no application filed or a decision made, also think of the media exposure something like this could get, no one has applied for the permit in Michigan that I know of since 1940 when Henry Ford had one which he used it to grow hemp and build a car and fuel it with Industrial Hemp.
If the DEA refuses to act on an application or denies a permit and a complaint is made to the State Legislators and/or Michigan Representatives in the U.S. Congress or Senate they must give a formal response, they can't just do as they do us now and send a form letter or ignore it.
I have been pushing for Michigan to join the other states in the Industrial Hemp fight for four years and if I can raise the money I WILL apply for the permit. If handing three thousand dollars over to the DEA will get it done then I think it is worth the risk.
According to the DEA application you must show that you would be in compliance with State and Local law, I have a letter from Hillman Township saying there is no law prohibiting me from applying for the permit or growing the crop, I live in a county that has passed an Industrial Hemp Resolution,
I can find no state law that prohibits me from applying for the permit or prohibits me from growing the crop as long as I have federal approval.
When two farmers in North Dakota applied for this permit it started a movement that resulted 17 states passing pro industrial Hemp legislation so far."
Let's add Michigan to those other progressive states and support this important legislation. Collective industry teamwork is crucial and this kind of creative vision can help us diversify our resources and build innovative opportunities. Contact Mr. Everett Swift at MI-Hemp.Org to support this important effort and for more details.
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