Source: https://journal.cannabislaw.report/can-industrial-hemp-save-louisiana-a-study/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 14:08:46+00:00

Document:
I. WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL HEMP?
Many solutions, such as sediment diversion and hydrologic restoration, have been proposed to address these environmental problems, but while all of these proposals may help to some extent, they are not the complete answer. Industrial hemp is an environmentally friendly crop that can be used as a cheaper, more sustainable alternative to current remediation6 solutions and techniques that may even benefit Louisiana’s economy and environment.
What is less known about industrial hemp is that, in addition to its commercial uses, it can be used for various environmental purposes. It is a renewable resource that can help remove pollutants from soil through the process of phytoremediation and it can potentially help with coastal erosion and soil conditions for farming. It can even be used as a feedstock to produce biofuels.
Still, despite these commercial and environmental benefits, the cultivation of industrial hemp is still prohibited in Louisiana since the state has not designed nor received approval for a regulatory plan for the cultivation of the crop with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This Note will argue that, especially because of industrial hemp’s distinctive capacity to alleviate the state’s particular environmental problems, Louisiana needs to follow in the federal government’s footsteps to repeal these legal restrictions as soon as possible.
Part I of this Note will offer a basic overview of industrial hemp: both its physical composition and its history in the United States. Part II will discuss industrial hemp’s commercial uses and environmental benefits. Part II will also highlight how legalizing industrial hemp can benefit Louisiana both financially and environmentally. Part III will describe how industrial hemp is currently regulated at both the federal and state levels. Part IV will explain why the opposition to industrial hemp cultivation is misguided and propose strategies for renewed legalization efforts.
A. Is Industrial Hemp the Same as Marijuana?
Though industrial hemp and marijuana are different forms of Cannabis sativa, the confusion between the two plants can be traced back to The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 (MTA).24 The MTA was one of the first restrictions against Cannabis sativa that imposed a one-dollar tax on any activity dealing with Cannabis sativa through the purchase of a “marihuana stamp.”25 The MTA did not distinguish the different types of Cannabis sativa, nor did it even take into account the different concentration levels of THC a strand of the plant may hold in its creation of the definition.
The U.S. government does not have official estimates for the sale of hemp-based products, but the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) reported a total of nearly $700 million in 2016 from retail sales of hemp-based products in the U.S.32 Looking at the millions of dollars being spent to import industrial hemp and hemp-based products, it is clear that there is a demand for industrial hemp and hemp-based products in the U.S. If industrial hemp is legalized in the U.S., it may boost the economy and help make the U.S. less reliant on foreign imports.
As mentioned earlier, industrial hemp can be used to manufacture a wide range of products.34 These commercial uses are widely documented in a range of feasibility and marketing studies conducted by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and various land grant universities and state agencies.35 In the last few decades, the consumer industry has seen the development of hemp-based shampoos, facial creams, beers, jewelry, and even fashion.36 These hemp-based products are good or even excellent sources of magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, and potassium as well as B1, B3, and B5 vitamins.
In 1980, Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)40 in response to the dangers of uncontrolled releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances into the environment that may present an imminent or substantial danger to the public health or welfare.41 These contaminated locations that CERCLA regulates are generally referred to as “superfund sites.” Superfund sites are locations throughout the U.S. that the National Priorities List (NPL)42 has determined to be a national priority among the known or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.43 Currently, there are thirteen superfund sites that are located throughout eleven of the sixty-four parishes in Louisiana.44 It is clear that Louisiana may not be the most environmental friendly State due to the existence of these superfund sites, but industrial hemp may be able to help remediate Louisiana’s superfund sites through the process of phytoremediation.
Under this concept, the plants would be grown in contaminated sites for a period of time in order to remove the pollutants from the soil under the process of phytoremediation. The plants would then extract the toxic substances from the soil and store them in their tissues, which would then later be harvested and processed to dispose of the toxic substances. If an individual planted industrial hemp at the location of Louisiana’s superfund sites, the roots of industrial hemp would absorb the contaminants and either store or transform them into a harmless substance.
Though the study and process of phytoremediation is still currently being developed, the idea of using industrial hemp for phytoremediation is not completely novel. One of the first studies about industrial hemp’s ability in soil restoration began in 1998, when Consolidated Growers and Processors (CGP), Phytotech, and Ukraine’s Institute of Bast Crops began to plant Cannabis sativa for the purpose of removing contaminants near the Chernobyl site.49 Though the researchers of the study did not publish or report their results of those field experiments, it is rumored that the test results were promising.50 The failure to publish or report the results of the 1998 study have caused scientists around the world to conduct their own research.
The Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy62 undertook a similar study to assess industrial hemp’s tolerance and ability to absorb heavy metals. Unlike Linger’s 2001 study, this study focused on the absorption of Nickel, Cadmium and Chromium.63 This study concluded that: (1) industrial hemp grown in heavy metal contaminated soil maintained a low THC level; (2) the high heavy metal concentrations in soil do not interfere significantly with hemp growth; and (3) that hemp has a high hyper-tolerance to heavy metals.64 The results of these findings are consistent with Linger’s results. Industrial hemp cannot be considered a hyperaccumulator plant, but it is instead a metal tolerant organism that has evolved mechanisms allowing it to cope with high metal concentration in soil.65 In non-scientific terms, industrial hemp is able to absorb toxins in the environment but may not be the quickest plant in existence.
The University of Hawaii came to the same conclusion as other studies that focused on phytoremediation with industrial hemp: that industrial hemp can tolerate high levels of heavy metal such as benzo[a]pyrene and chrysene. Even at these high concentrations of PAHs, the growth rate of industrial hemp never fell below 50% in comparison with the control group.74 Overall, the researchers concluded that hemp is a prime candidate for remediation of PAHs-contaminated tropical areas due to the fast growth of industrial hemp.
The study also acknowledged that the use of industrial hemp for further phytoremediation research and purposes is dependent on its status as a controlled crop under the CSA.75 The potential of industrial hemp for environmental purposes, including phytoremediation, or any commercial purpose is limited if the current federal status of the growing of industrial hemp remains the same.
The use and strong reliance on large-scale monocropping of irrigated cotton76 (and other crops) has led to severe soil exhaustion and salinization.77 Industrial hemp is able to provide farmers with many agricultural benefits that may help prevent or stop these soil-related problems, in addition to its capability of being used for phytoremediation.
Furthermore, the plant is able to loosen up soil and make it more ‘mellow’ because the soil is shaded by hemp more than any other crop.85 The foliage at the top of the plant makes a dense shade, and when the leaves fall, it forms a mulch on the ground that helps the surface of the soil retain its moisture.86 This improves moisture penetration and helps with water retention. The loosening of soil also allows for a much easier penetration of nutrients and waters to reach a plant’s roots.
Biofuel is a renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. It is a highly efficient diesel replacement that is produced by a process called transesterification, a chemical reaction between vegetable or animal fat and alcohol in the presence of a catalyst.104 Currently, the production of biofuels mainly comes from corn, soybeans, olives, peanuts, and rapeseed oil.105 As a result of the widespread access to inexpensive petroleum-based fuels, biofuels gained little interest by society.106 But with the recent increased awareness of the effects of global warming and the increase of oil demand, researchers are becoming interested in biofuel once again.
Recently, researchers at the University of Connecticut discovered that industrial hemp has properties that make it viable and even attractive as a raw material, or feedstock, for producing biofuel.107 Benefits of using industrial hemp as feed stock for biofuel includes: (1) the plant’s ability to grow in infertile soils reduces the need to grow it on primary croplands, which can then be reserved for growing food; (2) lowering emission of sulfur oxide when burned, a major precursor to acid rain; and (3) serving as a carbon neutral replacement to diesel fuel.108 In addition, industrial hemp is a very effective scrubber of carbon dioxide due to the plant’s rapid rate of carbon dioxide ingestion.109 By serving as an alternative to petroleum-based fuel, industrial hemp could lessen society’s dependence on non-renewable resources and help clean air quality at the same time.
However, the idea of using biofuel as an alternative has recently become a controversial topic, especially by environmentalists and the oil and gas industry in the country. Environmentalists argue that biofuels account for a greater carbon footprint because the mechanism utilized to cultivate the crops to produce biofuel requires large amounts of electricity, water, fertilizers, and additional agricultural.110 This issue can be quickly addressed and potentially solved by growing industrial hemp as a feedstock since it requires less care and water in contrast to the current crops being grown as feed stock.111 However, neither both ethanol producers or the oil and gas industry in Louisiana may welcome the increased production of biofuels by using industrial hemp feedstock since it would decrease society’s reliance on petroleum-based fuels and potentially cut in to the demand of their product.
Louisiana may be an ideal environment to grow industrial hemp. The optimal climate112 for the growth of industrial hemp consists of a mild, humid temperate climate.113 Ideal temperatures for industrial hemp growth ranges between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.114 Industrial hemp reaches a stage of rapid growth when the average daily temperature of the environment is 61 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. In this stage, the plant will grow 4 to 6 centimeters per day. However, industrial hemp can grow in high or low temperatures. The plant also requires a plentiful supply of moisture throughout its growing seasons, and especially during the first six weeks of planting.115 After the plant has become well-rooted; the plant can then endure drier conditions.
The average rainfall in Louisiana from 2010 to 2017 was 57.94 inches, while the average temperature is 67.5 degrees Fahrenheit.116 Louisiana also has the ideal environmental conditions to break down hemp fibers. Comparing Louisiana’s averages from 2010 to 2017 to the ideal conditions to grow industrial hemp, Louisiana seems like an ideal environment to grow industrial hemp.
Moreover, one of the amazing characteristics of industrial hemp is its ability to grow in a variety of soils and climates.117 Industrial hemp is generally an easy crop to cultivate, but the crop will not grow well on stiff, impervious clay soil, or on light sandy or gravelly soils.118 The plant grows best on a loose, well-aerated soil. Soil temperatures of 46-50 degrees Fahrenheit are preferable, but not required.119 The ideal growing conditions for the plant also include a humus- rich120 soil in a lower altitude.121 This perfectly describes Louisiana since the lush vegetation across most of the state causes our soil to have high levels of organic materials that slowly decompose to humus.122 Taking the preferable conditions to grow industrial hemp and the characteristics of Louisiana’s environment into account, Louisiana is an ideal environment to grow the plant.
In addition to obtaining the required DEA permit, the applicant must have an effective security protocol in place at the production site, such as security fencing around the planting area, a 24-hour monitoring system, controlled access, and possibly armed guards to prevent public access.129 Taking into account the extensive process of applying for the permit and strict security protocols required for the production site, the cultivation of industrial hemp does not seem to be worth it for many or most farmers; the steps required to obtain the permit and costs to keep up the security protocols will potentially limit the farmer’s profit margin.
In April 2018, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) introduced standalone legislation, known as the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to include the legalization of the cultivation of industrial hemp.136 As an extension to its 2014 predecessor, the 2018 Farm Bill included provisions to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp for commercial purposes, not just academic research purposes in authorized states. The 2018 Farm Bill is one of the first pieces of legislation that recognizes and clarifies the difference between industrial hemp and marijuana. Though the 2018 Farm Bill is a breakthrough for the cultivation of the crop, the legalization of the crop still comes with serious restrictions.
As discussed above, the confusion between industrial hemp and marijuana is mainly due to the CSA’s adopted definition of ‘marijuana’ from the Marihuana Tax Act.151 The CSA adoption of the definition essentially defines marijuana as to include industrial hemp, which results in the plant being categorized as a Schedule I drug. Though that may be true, the confusion between industrial hemp and its sibling does not only derive from the Marihuana Tax Act.
The negative stigma surrounding marijuana became popular to use in the early twentieth century because anti-cannabis organizations wanted to underscore the drug’s “Mexican-ness,” attempting to play off anti-immigrant sentiments in the United States.158 Hearst’s papers inaccurately portrayed Mexican nationals as lazy, generate and violent who smoke marijuana and steals jobs.159 Having the plant associated with Mexican immigrants and crime created the stigma of how the plant, regardless of the differences between industrial hemp and marijuana, is bad for the public.
A second popular argument by opponents of the legalization of industrial hemp consists of the idea that, if the cultivation of industrial hemp is legalized, some people might plant marijuana in the hemp fields because they look similar.162 Opponents of industrial hemp are essentially arguing that marijuana grown for use as a recreational drug is indistinguishable from marijuana grown for medicinal purposes and is therefore easy to “hide” among plants purportedly being grown for medicinal use.163 Though in theory this is a possibility, experts who are familiar with the cultivation of Cannabis sativa know that planting marijuana and industrial hemp in the same field or a nearby location is not a good idea. Cross-pollination between the two plants would significantly reduce the potency of the marijuana plant by resulting in a lower THC concentration.164 Furthermore, if the cultivation of industrial hemp is legalized, the government can simply put regulations for the growing of the plant through the Department of Agriculture as they do for other crops.
As a result of the federal government legalizing the cultivation of industrial hemp under strict restrictions, there are three courses of actions that Louisiana can take in order to participate in the various financial opportunities of the U.S. industrial hemp market and the environmental benefits from the crop’s production.
The first and most direct course of action that Louisiana could take is just to follow the authority of the 2018 Farm Bill and come up with a plan to license and regulate the cultivation of industrial hemp and get it approved with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Essentially, the governor and the chief law enforcement officer of the state would have to create a system that could allow farmers to obtain a license to cultivate the crop that is in strict compliance with the 2018 Farm Bill and addresses criminal sanctions for violations. Though this may not be the easiest solution, this would be the most direct way to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp in Louisiana as a result of the recent passing of the 2018 Farm Bill. Under this course of action, the cultivation of industrial hemp would be allowed for both academic and commercial purposes.
A second course of action that Louisiana can take is to amend Revised Statute 40:1046 to include the research of marijuana for commercial purposes (industrial hemp). The legislature would essentially have to redefine ‘marijuana’ and distinguish it from industrial hemp, similar to what the federal government did in the 2018 Farm Bill. By distinguishing marijuana and industrial hemp from one another, individuals and businesses would then be able to cultivate the crop for commercial purposes, and the use of recreational marijuana would still be prohibited.
If Louisiana does not come up with a plan to license and regulate the cultivation of crop or does not distinguish industrial hemp from marijuana, a third course of action would be to pass legislation for the crop to be grown purely for the environmental purposes discussed above and then potentially allow the harvested crop to be used in other industries. This course of action may somewhat appease opponents of industrial hemp in the state who are worried about the crop’s similarity to its cousin, marijuana. By failing to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp, Louisiana is missing out on a “greener” alternative to help remediate our environment.
The legalization of industrial hemp is long overdue at the state level. It took the federal government a long time to recognize the differences between industrial hemp and marijuana. There are already several states that have taken initiative and legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp. It is not a miracle crop that will fix all the issues in the State, but it is crop that can potentially assist us in remediating our soil, help reduce the effects of coastal erosion, and even serve as an alternative feedstock for biofuel production. If Louisiana does not legalize the growing of industrial hemp, Louisiana might be missing out on not only a big economic opportunity, but an opportunity to help improve and clean up the state through the cultivation of industrial hemp.
1 Junior Associate, Louisiana State University Journal of Energy Law and Resources, J.D./D.C.L. Candidate, May 2020. I would like to thank Prof. Darlene Goring and Prof. Ken Levy for their help and guidance throughout this process in helping execute this Note.
2 See Natl. Ag. Statistics Service (NASS), 2017 State Agriculture Overview: Louisiana, United States, https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=LOUISIANA (last visited Oct. 18, 2018).
3 See National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), What is a Dead Zone?, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/deadzone.html (last visited Oct. 28, 2018).
6 The word ‘remediation’ in this Note refers to the action of reversing, preventing, or stopping environmental damage. 7 RENÉE JOHNSON, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity, 12 (2018).
8 Title 7 of the U.S. Code defines industrial hemp as “the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of such plant, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis,” 7 U.S.C. §5940(b)(2).
9 See Renée Johnson, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity (2018).
10 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283, 294.
12 Id. at 292 and 302.
13 RENÉE JOHNSON, Cong. Research Serv., RL744742, Defining “Industrial Hemp”: A Fact Sheet (2017).
14 Technically, an individual can smoke industrial hemp to get high, but it requires a huge amount of industrial hemp for the psychoactive effects of the plant would kick in due to the plant’s low THC concentration. The individual who decides to smoke industrial hemp is more likely to die from smoke inhalation before they get ‘high’ off the plant.
15 This Note will use the term “marijuana” as any form of cannabis that has THC percentage of higher than 0.3 percent; the form of cannabis that is stigmatized by society. On the flip side, this Note will use the term “industrial hemp” for any form of cannabis that has a THC percentage less than 0.3.
16 See Renée Johnson, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity (2018).
17 RENÉE JOHNSON, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity (2013).
19 See below Moxley et al., Efficient Sugar Release by the Cellulose Solvent-Based Lignocellulose Fractionation Technology and Enzymatic Cellulose Hydrolysis, 56 J. AGRIC. FOOD CHEM. 7885, 7885 (2008).
20 Moxley et al., Efficient Sugar Release by the Cellulose Solvent-Based Lignocellulose Fractionation Technology and Enzymatic Cellulose Hydrolysis, 56 J. AGRIC. FOOD CHEM. 7885, 7885 (2008).
21 RENÉE JOHNSON, Cong. Research Serv., RL744742, Defining “Industrial Hemp”: A Fact Sheet 3 (2017).
22 Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9 THC) is the dominant ingredient in cannabis plants that causes the psychoactive effect in individuals. Cannabis plants that are low in delta-9 THC, such as industrial hemp, do not cause the psychoactive effects to occur in individuals.
23 MINISTRY OF HEMP, So How Can You Actually Tell the Difference?, https://ministryofhemp.com/hemp/not- marijuana/ (last visited Sept. 14, 2018).
26 See Courtney N. Moran, Industrial Hemp: Canada Exports, United States Imports, FORDHAM ENVTL. L. REV. (2015).
27 See 21 U.S.C. §801 et seq.; Title 21 C.F.R. Part 1308.11.
28 Renée Johnson, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity 1 (2018).
30 See Table 1 in Renée Johnson, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity 5 (2018). 31 Johnson, supra note 6.
32 HEMP INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION (HIA), 2016 Annual Retail Sales for Hemp Products Estimated at $688 Million, (2017); See Figure 2 U.S. Hemp-Based Product Sales by Category, 2016 in RL32725.
33 David G. Kraenzal et al., Inst. For Natural Res. & Econ. Dev., N.D. State Univ., Agric. Econ. Report No. 402, Industrial Hemp as an Alternative Crop in North Dakota: A White Paper Study of the Markets, Profitability, Processing, Agronomics and History 12 (1998).
34 This paper aims to highlight the environmental benefits of industrial hemp, not its commercial purposes. Therefore, only a few of the commercial products and benefits are mentioned in this Note.
35 Johnson, see Appendix A in supra note 6 at 40.
36 Supra 20. For modern uses for industrial hemp, see Figure 1.
37 THE EUROPEAN INDUSTRIAL HEMP ASSOCIATION (EIHA), Hemp Seeds and Hemp Oil as Food, http://eiha.org/media/attach/478/Hemp_Seeds_and_Hemp_Oil_as_Food_EIHA_EIHA.pdf (last visited Oct. 11, 2018).
38 Petra Pless & Gero Leson, Assessing the Impact of THC Uptake from Hemp Oil Cosmetics on Workplace Drug Testing, Leson Environmental Consulting 1 (March 2001).
40 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. 9601-9675.
41 See National Priorities List, 83 Fed. Reg. 46, 408 (Sept. 13, 2018).
42 The NPL is required to list out any site that may be contaminated or polluted under section 105(a)(8)(B) of CERCLA.
43 94 Stat. 2767; Federal Register Notice of the Current NPL Final Rule, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR- 2018-09-13/pdf/2018-19878.pdf (last visited Sept. 17, 2018).
44 National Priorities List (NPL) – by State, https://www.epa.gov/superfund/national-priorities-list-npl-sites-state (last visited Sept. 17, 2018).
45 Rufus L. Chaney & Ilya A. Baklanov, Phytoremediation and Phytomining: Status and Promise, 83 Advances in Botanical Res. 189, 190 (2017).
46 Phytoremediation: An Environmentally Sound Technology for Pollution Prevention, Control and Remediation, http://www.unep.or.jp/Ietc/Publications/Freshwater/FMS2/1.asp (last visited Sept. 17, 2018).
47 Phytoremediation: An Environmentally Sound Technology for Pollution Prevention, Control and Remediation, http://www.unep.or.jp/Ietc/Publications/Freshwater/FMS2/1.asp (last visited Sept. 17, 2018).
48 See Phytoremediation: An Environmentally Sound Technology for Pollution Prevention, Control and Remediation, http://www.unep.or.jp/Ietc/Publications/Freshwater/FMS2/1.asp (last visited Sept. 17, 2018).
49 See Mitchell Colbert, Radioactive Research: Is Hemp Soil a Savior?, https://thehempmag.com/2018/07/radioactive- research-is-hemp-a-soil-savior/ (last visited Sept. 18, 2018).
50 See Mitchell Colbert, Radioactive Research: Is Hemp Soil a Savior?, https://thehempmag.com/2018/07/radioactive- research-is-hemp-a-soil-savior/ (last visited Sept. 18, 2018).
51 See Khan et. al., Relationships Between Chromium Biomagnification Ratio, Accumulation Factor, and Mycorrhizae in Plants Growing on Tannery Effluent-Polluted Soil, CHEMOSPHERE 26, 198-199 (2000).
52 Sandra Citterio, et al., Heavy Metal Tolerance and Accumulation of Cd, Cr and Ni by Cannabis sativa L., 256 PLANT AND SOIL 241 (Oct. 2003).
53 P. Linger, et al., Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Growing on Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil: Fibre Quality and Phytoremediation Potential, 16 INDUS. CROPS AND PRODUCTS 33, 38-39 (2001).
54 P. Linger, et al., Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Growing on Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil: Fibre Quality and Phytoremediation Potential, 16 INDUS. CROPS AND PRODUCTS 33, 38-39 (2001).
55 A hyperaccumulator is a classification given to plants that are known to accumulate extra-ordinarily high amounts of metallic elements in their tissues without any noxious effects; See Ewa Muszyńska & Ewa Hanus-Fajerska, Why are Heavy Metal Hyperaccumulating Plants So Amazing?, 96 BIOTECHNOLOGIA 265, 265-271 (2015).
56 See P. Linger, et al., Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Growing on Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil: Fibre Quality and Phytoremediation Potential, 16 INDUS. CROPS AND PRODUCTS 33, 40 (2001).
62 Citterio, supra note 54.
65 Citterio, supra note 54 at 250.
68 Sonia Campbell, et al., Remediation of Benzo[a]pyrene and Chrysene-Contaminated Soil with Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa), 4 INT. J. OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 157, 158 (2002).
69 Sonia Campbell, et al., Remediation of Benzo[a]pyrene and Chrysene-Contaminated Soil with Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa), 4 INT. J. OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 157, 158 (2002).
72 H.B. 32 CDI, Act 305 (1999).
73 Johnson, supra note 6 at 20.
74 Campbell, supra note 69 at 163.
76 Monocropping refers to as growing one type of crop on the land.
77 International Trade Center, Cotton and Climate Change: Impacts and Options to Mitigate and Adapt (2011).
78 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283, 308.
79 Johnson, see supra note 6 at 6; Kraenzal, see supra note 41 at 19; Duppong see supra note 141 at 6.
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and Diversity, https://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/solutions/advance-sustainable-agriculture/crop-diversity-and- rotation.html#.W70eny-ZOAw (last visited Oct. 2, 2018).
81 The USDA defines retting as a microbial process that breaks the chemical bonds that hold the stem together and allows separation of the bast fibers from the woody core. It requires both available moisture and temperatures warm enough for the microbial action to occur (see Daryl T. Ehrensing, Feasibility of Industrial Hemp Production in the United States Pacific Northwest, Agricultural Experiment Station at Oregon State University 20 (1998)).
83 David Carpenter, In Kentucky, Farmers Find Hemp May Be More Profitable Than Tobacco, FORBES, https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidcarpenter/2018/08/28/kentucky-farmers-hemp-more-profitable-than- tobacco/#5482321c100f (last visited Sept. 16, 2018).
84 Renée Johnson, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity, 6 (2018).
85 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283, 313.
86 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283, 309.
87 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283, 309.
88 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283, 311.
89 UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Louisiana Coastal Wetlands: A Resource at Risk, https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/la- wetlands/ (last visited Oct. 10, 2018).
90 UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Louisiana Coastal Wetlands: A Resource at Risk, https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/la- wetlands/ (last visited Oct. 10, 2018).
91 WOODS HOLE SEA GRANT PROGRAM, Biodegradable Erosion Control, Marine Extension Bulletin, 2011 (http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=82284&pt=2&p=88928).
93 Choosing Between Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Erosion Matting, American Excelsior Company, https://americanexcelsior.com/choosing-between-biodegradable-and-non-biodegradable-erosion-matting/ (last visited January 7, 2019).
94 Supra note 91 at 2.
95 WOODS HOLE SEA GRANT PROGRAM, Biodegradable Erosion Control, Marine Extension Bulletin, 2011 (http://www.whoi.edu/fileserver.do?id=82284&pt=2&p=88928).
97 Jefferson Parish, Christmas Tree Marsh Restoration, http://www.jeffparish.net/index.aspx?page=321 (last visited Oct. 15, 2018).
100See above discussion Part II, Subsection B(1) of this Note.
101 Ahmad Alcheikh, Advantages and Challenges of Hemp Biodiesel Production: A Comparison of Hemp vs. Other Crops Commonly used for Biodiesel Production, UNIVERSITY OF GÄVLE 10 (June 2015).
102 George W. Bush, President of the United States, State of the Union Address (Jan. 31, 2006).
103 NAT’L. ECON. COUNCIL, Advanced Energy Initiative, 1 (2006).
104 Ahmad Alcheikh, Advantages and Challenges of Hemp Biodiesel Production: A Comparison of Hemp vs. Other Crops Commonly used for Biodiesel Production, UNIVERSITY OF GÄVLE 10 (June 2015).
105 Christine Buckley, Hemp Produces Viable Biodiesel, UConn Study Finds, UCONN TODAY (2010).
106 Ahmad Alcheikh, Advantages and Challenges of Hemp Biodiesel Production: A Comparison of Hemp vs. Other Crops Commonly used for Biodiesel Production, UNIVERSITY OF GÄVLE 13 (June 2015).
107 Christine Buckley, Hemp Produces Viable Biodiesel, UConn Study Finds, UCONN TODAY (2010).
108 See Buckley supra footnote 95; See Ahmad Alcheikh supra footnote 93 at 20.
109 Ahmad Alcheikh, Advantages and Challenges of Hemp Biodiesel Production: A Comparison of Hemp vs. Other Crops Commonly used for Biodiesel Production, University of Gävle 10 (June 2015).
110 Dharni Grover, Bioguels are Good Politics but Translate into Bad Policy, MAJOR PAPERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR 2 (2018).
111 See supra note 103.
112 Keep in mind when reading this subsection, only the optimal climate to grow industrial hemp is discussed. This does not include other suitable climates where the plant may grow.
Industrial Hemp as an Alternative Crop in North Dakota: A White Paper Study of the Markets, Profitability, Processing, Agronomics and History 19 (1998).
114 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283.
115 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283, 306.
116 NOOAA NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION, Climate at a Glance: Statewide Time Series, published 2018, https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/statewide/timeseries/16/tavg/12/12/20102018?base_prd=true&firstbaseyear=2010& lastbaseyear=2018 (last visited Sept. 19, 2018).
117 David G. Kraenzal et al., Inst. For Natural Res. & Econ. Dev., N.D. State Univ., Agric. Econ. Report No. 402, Industrial Hemp as an Alternative Crop in North Dakota: A White Paper Study of the Markets, Profitability, Processing, Agronomics and History 19 (1998).
118 Lyster H. Dewey, Hemp, 1913 Y.B. OF THE U.S. DEP’T. OF AGRIC. 283.
119 The Perdue Hemp Project, Hemp Production, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, https://dev.purduehemp.org/hemp-production/ (last visited Sept. 19, 2018).
120 Humus-rich soil refers to the loose, upper layer of soil.
121 LOUISIANA CANNABIS ASSOCIATION, Agriculture, https://www.louisianacannabis.org/agriculture/ (last visited Oct. 23, 2018).
122 David Weindorf, An Overview of Louisiana Soils, Louisiana Agriculture (2013).
123 Congressional Findings and Declarations: Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.; Title 21 C.F.R. Part 1308.11.
124 Johnson, supra note 8 at 13.
125 DEA registration is the same as DEA-issued permit; 21 U.S.C. 822(a)(1).
126 Controlled Substances Act of 1970, 21 U.S.C. 823(a).
127 Registration of Manufacturers, Distributors, and Dispensers of Controlled Substances, 21 C.F.R. 1301.44(a).
128 Johnson, supra note 8 at 19.
130 Agricultural Act of 2014, 128 Stat. 649.
131 Renée Johnson & Jim Monke, Cong. Research Serv., IF00014, The 2014 Farm Bill (Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L.
132 Renée Johnson, Cong. Research Serv., RL32725, Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity 19 (2018).
133 7 U.S.C. § 5940(a).
134 7 U.S.C. § 5940(a).
https://www.ers.usda.gov/agricultural-act-of-2014-highlights-and-implications/ (last visited Sept. 20, 2018).
137 Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, H.R. 2, 115th Cong. §10114 (2018). 138 Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, H.R. 2, 115th Cong. §12619(a) (2018). 139 Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, H.R. 2, 115th Cong. §11101 (2018). 140 Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, H.R. 2, 115th Cong. §10114 (2018).
141 7 U.S.C. 1621 §297(A)(1).
142 7 U.S.C. 1621 §297(B)(a)(1).
143 7 U.S.C. 1621 §297(B)(a)(2)(v).
144 See 7 U.S.C. 1621 §297(B)(e) through (e)(2)(B). 145 La. R.S. 40:1046(A) (2015).
146 La. R.S. 40:1046(L) (2015).
147 La. R.S. 40:1046(A) (2015).
148 La. R.S. 40:1046(A)(1) (2015).
149 La. R.S. 40:1046(J)(2) (2015).
150 The Louisiana legislature enacted Act 708 (2018 La. Act No. 708) to expand the group of people that may be prescribed medical marijuana to include glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, severe muscle spasms, intractable pain and PTSD to the list of ‘debilitating conditions’ eligible for treatment with medical marijuana.
151 See supra note 25.
152 See generally Christen D. Shepherd, Lethal Concentration of Power: How the D.E.A. Acts Improperly to Prohibit the Growth of industrial Hemp, 68 UMKC L. REV. 239, 249 (Winter 1999).
153 Matt Thompson, The Mysterious History of ‘Marijuana’, National Public Radio (July 22, 2013), https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/07/14/201981025/the-mysterious-history-of-marijuana.
154The Mysterious History of ‘Marijuana’, National Public Radio (July 22, 2013), https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/07/14/201981025/the-mysterious-history-of-marijuana.
of industrial Hemp, 68 UMKC L. REV. 239, 249 (Winter 1999).
157 Christen D. Shepherd, Lethal Concentration of Power: How the D.E.A. Acts Improperly to Prohibit the Growth of industrial Hemp, 68 UMKC L. REV. 239, 249 (Winter 1999).
158 Matt Thompson, The Mysterious History of ‘Marijuana’, National Public Radio (July 22, 2013), https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/07/14/201981025/the-mysterious-history-of-marijuana.
159 Christen D. Shepherd, Lethal Concentration of Power: How the D.E.A. Acts Improperly to Prohibit the Growth of industrial Hemp, 68 UMKC L. REV. 239, 249 (Winter 1999).
160 Tara C. Brady, The Argument for the Legalization of Industrial Hemp, 13 SAN JOAQUIN AGRIC. L. REV. 85, 92 (2003).
162 Ruth C. Stern & J. Herbie DiFonzo, The End of the Red Queens Race Medical Marijuana in the New Century, 27 QUINNIPIAC LAW REVIEW 673, 760 (2009); See supra note 155, at 87 (“Industrial hemp has… been shown to cross pollinate with marijuana and create the effect of lowering the THC level in the marijuana, thus acting as an eradicator of marijuana.”).
163 Michael D. Moberly, Old MacDonald Hid a Farm: Examining Arizona’s Prospects for Legalizing Industrial Hemp, 20 Drake J. Agric. L. 361, 390 (Fall 2015).

References: §5940
 §801
 § 5940
 § 5940
 §10114
 §12619
 §11101
 §10114
 §297
 §297
 §297
 §297