September 3, 2006 by PT Rothschild.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has issued an APB (All Points Bulletin) for the Diaprepes root weevil (Diaprepes Abbreviatus) which feeds on about 270 different plants including citrus, hibiscus, avocado, loquat, and oak. The beetle looking insect with distinctive long stripes running horizontal down its back is a threat to both urban and agricultural areas and is about the length of a dime. If you see this weevil, please collect a sample in a small jar or plastic bag and call 1-800-491-1899.

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September 3, 2006 by PT Rothschild.

 about what to write to the Governator in expressing your desire for him to sign the HEMP bill, AB 1147, feel free to copy and paste the wording below: 

As your constituent, I urge you to support Assembly Bill 1147, which would allow licensed farmers to cultivate industrial hemp without altering or interfering with already existing state laws which discourage the recreational use of cannabis.

The United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop, according to a 2005 Congressional Resource Service (CRS) report. Hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa that contains only minute (less than 1%) amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Farmers worldwide grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products, including food and clothing.

In recent years, several US states have commissioned studies recommending hemp as a viable economic crop.  A 1995 study by the University of Kentucky estimated that local farmers could earn roughly $320 per acre growing hemp for straw and grain, and $340 an acre from growing certified hemp seed.  A 1998 study on the economic feasibility of industrial hemp cultivation by Oregon State University at Corvallis concluded, “There is little doubt that hemp can be successfully cultivated in some areas of the Pacific Northwest.” Similar state-sponsored studies in Illinois and North Dakota concluded that hemp’s profit potential warranted immediately amending state and federal law.  Accordingly, three states — North Dakota, Montana and West Virginia — have recently passed legislation legalizing hemp cultivation by licensed farmers.

Today, US retailers and manufacturers annually import approximately 1.9 million pounds of hemp fiber, 450,000 pounds of hemp seeds, and 331 pounds of hempseed oil from Canada and other nations that regulate hemp farming. In addition, a growing number of health professionals are praising hemp seeds’ nutritional value, noting that it’s second only to soy in protein and contains the highest concentration of essential amino and fatty acids found in any food.  Given such a strong and diverse resume, it’s no wonder hemp has been endorsed by the likes of the US Agriculture Department’s Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Center, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the American Farm Bureau.

In closing, licensing California farmers to cultivate industrial hemp gives our state a unique economic opportunity. Once again, I urge you to support Assembly Bill 1147.

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