Magic
Weeds are a problem . There is always a lot of talk about weeds at the MHTA meetings . “ We could pre-treat the soil with a chemical weed killer before planting , but you can ’ t put it on after planting , because , well , it ’ s a weed .” Too many weeds in the bails and the processing plants won ’ t accept them if you can find a processing plant , which leads us to problem one , limited infrastructure . The only processing plant in Missouri is Tiger Fiber in St . Louis .
over , but none of our guys took a loss . However , I can ’ t do it again ,” he sighed . Bill is one of the good guys .
Unfortunately , we have that elephant in the room , federal prohibition , gumming things up like the sickle bar .
“ Unless the federal 2023 Farm Bill can tackle the issue , the U . S . will have an interstate commerce nightmare dealing with the manufacturing and distribution of hemp-derived products ,” says Chris Hope , Hemp Committee Chair for the National Cannabis Industry Association ( NCIA ), after meeting with legislatures in Washington DC recently . “ What we have is cities , counties , and states that have begun to implement their own legislation concerning hemp and hemp compounds with a hodgepodge of laws .” I think we are already there with cannabis in general .
Cook has his hopes set on the 2024 Farm Bill .
All For One and One For All
The most important takeaway from these farmers — farming is a community occupation . In every one of my conversations , at some point , Vince called Daryl , Daryl called Vince , everyone called Bill , and Bill called God , I suppose . Actually , Bill would call Dr . Baboo at Lincoln University in Jefferson City . Without networking among a community of farmers , no one stands a chance . The best and only way to network is to attend the Missouri Hemp Trade Association meetings held monthly across the state .
Bill Cook ( on the left ) and I discuss the hemp industry over a cup of coffee .
“ You break down whatever you ’ re doing to find out what your problems really are ,” Bill Cook of Native Prairie Farms in Garden City explained over coffee . “ Seed and freight are problems . Seed is too expensive ; it can be too old or have poor genetics . One processor on the other side of the state makes freight unrealistic .”
USDA
Missouri has thrown in the towel on hemp , turning Missouri farmers over to the Federal Government and the USDA . Aside from getting fingerprinted , which seems about as absurd as Price Chopper requiring drug screens for their senior citizen checkers , the USDA requires you to have a buyer .
Maybe it ’ s just me , but for a crop that has not been recognized , has no subsidies , and no crop insurance from the feds , why they insist on us having a buyer seems a little inappropriate . However , it is critical to the farmer .
Daryl Poindexter cleaning his homemade bucking machine .
Everyone is working together in the true farming community , and these meetings are where future hemp farmers absolutely must start . As Mellisa Nelson of South Bend Hemp reminded us last fall at the MHTA Meeting in Butler , “ The high tide rises all boats .”
“ Will you do it again ?” I asked the Zumwalts .
“ We got into this because of our kids and grandkids ,” Vicky replied . “ We have to create a sustainable future for them . Hemp is the only way .” “ It has to be done ,” replied Vince . “ It just has to .”
Last fall , somewhere in this processing chain , everything fell apart for NW Missouri fiber farmers . It is complicated and lawsuits are pending . Once litigation began , folks quit explaining .
Bill Cook of Native Prairie is the equivalent of the tribal chief of hemp growers in our state , and Bill , out of pocket , provided the crop insurance for the farmers left with hemp bales and no processing . “ I got these guys into this ,” Bill said . “ I have an obligation to them .” Bill is now the unwitting owner of a lot of hemp bails . “ They are scattered all
Dolores Montgomery Halbin , RN , BSN , and Ordained Nurse Minister , resides in SW Missouri . After her husband passed in 2015 , she retired from nursing . She worked with the 2014-2018 Missouri campaigns for legalized medical marijuana . She continues as a cannabis reform activist volunteering with Canna Convict Project and working toward Federal decriminalization through educational speaking and freelance journalism . Dolores Halbin ,
doloreshalbin @ gmail . com .