Industrial hemp production is becoming legal in more and more states. However, farmers who’ve never grown the crop before have some things to look into before they take the plunge. (Photo by agriculture.com)
In the course of covering agriculture, I’ve written and recorded several stories about the possibility of industrial hemp farming. More and more states are making industrial hemp production legal within their borders. It’s good news for farmers because it puts another cash crop in their toolbox. But I was curious about the process of how to start growing the crop for the first time. It’s similar in some ways to “traditional” commodities but very different in others.
I caught up to Erica McBride Stark, Executive Director of the National Hemp Association, to talk about things farmers who’ve never grown industrial hemp before need to consider. The list is a long one. Considerations include the reason you’re growing the crop (who is the end user?), the types of soils you farm in, and what kind of equipment you have for both planting and harvest.
“I know there are a lot of farmers that want to try growing
hemp,” Stark said. “I am a little bit concerned, to be honest because there’s a
whole lot of people who want to jump in but don’t know what they’re doing. We’ll
have to see how it goes.”
As there are different types of standard commodities,
farmers will have to figure out what type of hemp they want to grow. For
example, the cultivation methods for CBD are quite different than what they
would be for hemp grown for fiber or grain. But that’s not all.
“The crop starts off indoors and farmers will need specific equipment
to transplant it into fields outdoors,” she said. “The type of soil you’re
farming in also makes a difference. Hemp likes a loose soil that’s well
drained. It doesn’t want to have wet feet. It also likes a neutral pH level.”
She said hemp grown for fiber and grain is planted a lot
like traditional crops. Growing hemp for CBD means the plants are spaced out
further and surrounded by plastic sheets.
I’m thrilled that farmers have another possibility for a cash crop. However, I’d encourage you to give a listen here if you’re thinking about trying industrial hemp production for the first time.
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade agreement presents trade opportunities that Ag leaders across the country say farmers need to break out of the economic doldrums across the sector.
Trade opportunities have been, and always will be, important to U.S. agriculture. However, the opportunities aren’t there because of ongoing trade disputes with partners like China. However, with the removal of Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports, the opportunity for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to get through Congress is closer than ever. The prospects, however, depend on who you ask and what their political affiliation is.
That aside, Minnesota Farm leaders gathered recently in Hawley to discuss the current state of the farm economy. They specifically emphasized the importance of trade opportunities across North America. Kaitlyn Blackwelder is the regional project manager for Minnesota Soybean.
Farm incomes fell eight percent last year due in large part to lost trade opportunities and a large supply of commodities driving down prices. And, that has the attention of ag lenders like Jennifer Sharpe, Market Vice President of AgCountry Farm Credit Services.
They and others are worried that unless the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement gets ratified soon, things will only worsen. Ag exports to Mexico and Canada generate more than $1 billion for Minnesota every year. Those exports are only available with abundant trade opportunities. Mike Jurik is a grain merchandiser and works in the area of rail logistics for West Central Ag. He says the uncertainty is a huge strain on everyone in agriculture.
Farm leaders say the new European trade deal with Mexico is allowing the EU to displace U.S. sales in Mexico. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico finalized the deal last November but the pact is currently stalled in Congress. Karolyn Zurn is the American Agri-Women’s First Vice President of Vital Issues and Resolutions. She says the message is clear and direct to Congress.
During the roundtable discussion in Hawley, Minnesota’s farm leaders urged Minnesota’s elected officials to break the logjam on USMCA as soon as possible. Their message was a simple one: farmers need more trade opportunities.
Most people have been behind the wheel of their car when the cell phone rings or they hear the text message beep. We’re so ingrained to answer the phone or check the text message that we may not realize just how dangerous it would be to do those things while driving. Because of the dangers posed by distracted driving, Minnesota joined 17 other states, plus Washington D.C., in passing a hands-free law that goes into effect August 1. But what exactly can, and can’t drivers do?
What Can I do?
“To break it down in the simplest terms, you cannot have a phone in your hand at all while driving,” says Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge. “As of August 1, you can’t even have a cell phone in your hand and hold it up to your ear to make a phone call. Of course, text messages aren’t going to be legal as well.”
It won’t be legal to pull out the cell phone even if drivers are stopped at a stop light or stop sign. “Technically, you’re still driving,” DeGeorge said. “As of August 1, if you’re going to make a phone call in the car, drivers will need some sort of built-in device that will help you make that call hands-free. For example, a Bluetooth-enabled audio system would be legal. Most newer cars these days have something like that built in”
What about GPS?
The next logical question is what about the GPS systems that most drivers can’t live without in an unfamiliar part of the state? DeGeorge says you can still use your GPS system to get where you’re going, as long as it’s hands-free.
“If you’re going to a place like Target Field but haven’t
been there before,” DeGeorge said, “it’s okay to punch in the directions before
you put the vehicle in motion. You can listen to the turn-by-turn directions
while you’re driving, as long as you aren’t using it in any way with your hands
while you’re driving.”
Rushford Police Officer Kaylee Inglett said the key to being legal is not having it in your hand for any reason while you’re driving. “We can definitely see other drivers who have their phones in hand and up to their ears just driving down the road,” she said. “it’s not too hard to spot someone talking on their phone while driving. Sometimes we see distracted driving just by how their moving down the road, too. It’s a lot of the same signs as impaired driving.”
Distracted Driving Dangers
DeGeorge said the average citizen may not realize it, but
their car can instantly become a several-thousand-pound missile moving down the
road at a high rate of speed when the driver isn’t focused on the road. Impaired
driving affects judgement and slows a driver’s reaction time. Distracted
driving does some of the same things.
“It takes your attention away from the road and the other
vehicles,” DeGeorge said. “It slows your reaction time. How much ground can
someone cover while they’re typing out a text message behind the wheel and
going 55-60 miles per hour. You aren’t going to stop on a dime. If you look up
and find yourself weaving out of your line and another car is coming at you, it
might be the same thing as pointing a weapon at them. That’s basically what’s
happening in that situation.”
Distracted driving is a problem in southeast Minnesota, and it has cost lives. DeGeorge says he has seen a fatal accident firsthand and it’s something you don’t forget, both as a law enforcement officer and a human being. “For me, it was an instant feeling of regret for what happened,” he recalled upon seeing the aftereffects of a fatality.
Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge says Minnesota’s “Hands-Free” Law starts on August 1. (Photo from Facebook.com)
“When you think that just minutes earlier, this person was
safely driving down the road and a split-second decision to do something like
read or send a text message resulted in someone innocent being killed,” he
added. “It wasn’t something like a crime of passion. Someone didn’t spend all
day drinking at a bar and get behind the wheel. It was someone that could have
been on their way home, to church, or to a kid’s school event. It didn’t have
to happen.”
He added, “It’s not a malicious act. It’s someone doing something as simple as not paying attention and wound up having the most tragic results possible.
Here’s a great report from WKBT TV in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with comments from the La Crescent Police Chief Doug Stavenau
Penalties
Inglett says there will be an escalating series of fines starting on August 1. “The first ticket is $50 dollars, which will include going to court, which will include court fees,” she said. “The next ticket will jump to $275, as are any subsequent tickets. Remember, there are also court fees with each ticket.
“It was so important to law enforcement officers around the
state to get this law passed,” she said. “We see so many distracted drivers
every day. The numbers are there when we talk about distracted driving. Not
looking at the road and not paying attention to your surroundings when you’re
driving a huge metal object can be just as detrimental and deadly as impaired
driving.”
Inglett says she’s a young police officer who hasn’t had to
respond to a tragic accident from distracted driving yet. That doesn’t mean she
hasn’t seen and spoken to people who’ve been involved in that type of accident.
“During my training at the police academy, we heard a talk
from someone that had killed another driver while they were distracted,” she
recalled. “The lasting impact those words had on our class was incredible. We
were able to see crime scene photos from the case, so even though we weren’t
there firsthand, we saw what the worst results could look like.
“The pictures of the victim and the vehicles were
heartbreaking,” she added. “A simple decision like picking up someone’s phone
took somebody else’s life.”
