The Des Moines Register
Wednesday, March 12, 1997, Page 12A.
letters@dmreg.com
THE REGISTER'S EDITORIALS
A promising new crop
Industrial hemp is worth a look:
it once was cultivated in Iowa.
Score one for the Iowa House
Agriculture Committee. This week it approved a bill to authorize Iowa State
University to research the possible return of hemp to the Iowa farm scene, a proven crop
with a proven market and a proven propensity to thrive in the rich Iowa soil.
Industrial hemp is of the same species as marijuana, but without the
same psychoactive impact when dried and smoked. It was grown extensively in Iowa
during World War II as a source of rope; remnants of those crops remain in some field
corners and ditches. Its cultivation was declared illegal after the war, and remains
that way, regardless of how far removed the industrial version may be from its
hallucinogenic cousin.
It could be a valuable addition to the Iowa crop picture.
Other Nations grow it to make cloth and paper as well as rope.
Half a century ago, the USDA estimated that it takes four acres of trees to produce the
paper that can be made from one acre of industrial hemp. The National Conference of
State Legislatures reports that hemp is a good rotation crop and thrives under a variety
of conditions. The tough, tall plant holds its own against insects and weed
infestations.
Surprisingly, a call to ISU, whose specialists tend to be well on top
of developments in their fields, indicated that few within the Agronomy Department were up
to speed on this one. Strange, considering the lip service given to the importance
of exploring alternative crop opportunities.
A legislative call for research is timely and appropriate.