03.26.10
The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) and Vote Hemp will host the 1st Annual Hemp History Week to be held May 17-23, 2010. As a national grassroots education campaign designed to renew strong support for hemp farming in the U.S., Hemp History Week will feature a letter writing campaign and events in cities and towns all over the country. Organizers expect the campaign to collect at least 50,000 hand-signed postcards addressed to President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder asking them to end the ban on hemp farming and let farmers grow the versatile and profitable crop.
In addition to volunteer-run events nationwide, natural product retail outlets are participating in Hemp History Week by sampling best-selling hemp products in their stores including Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. Companies like Ford Motors, Patagonia,and The Body Shop, in addition to Hemp Industries Association members are using imported hemp in their products today.
"Lost opportunities for farmers and businesses have real consequences,” says David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, which uses hemp oil in almost all of their products. “With over $360 million in estimated U.S. retail sales, American companies making hemp products have no choice but to import their raw materials because our farmers continue to fear they will be prosecuted for growing hemp, due to an out of date federal policy which confuses non-drug industrial hemp with drug varieties of cannabis.”
In addition to volunteer-run events nationwide, natural product retail outlets are participating in Hemp History Week by sampling best-selling hemp products in their stores including Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. Companies like Ford Motors, Patagonia,and The Body Shop, in addition to Hemp Industries Association members are using imported hemp in their products today.
"Lost opportunities for farmers and businesses have real consequences,” says David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, which uses hemp oil in almost all of their products. “With over $360 million in estimated U.S. retail sales, American companies making hemp products have no choice but to import their raw materials because our farmers continue to fear they will be prosecuted for growing hemp, due to an out of date federal policy which confuses non-drug industrial hemp with drug varieties of cannabis.”