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Kentucky gains federal permit for its hemp seeds

By WTOP Staff

BRUCE SCHREINER
Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Hemp seeds will be sprung from confinement and planted in Kentucky soil in coming days after federal drug officials approved a permit Thursday ending a standoff that had imperiled the state’s experimental plantings this spring, agriculture officials said.

Kentucky’s Agriculture Department expects to receive delivery of the shipment of seeds from Italy on Friday, state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. The state’s first hemp plantings in decades could occur as soon as this weekend, he said.

“This is a historic day,” Comer said. “We’ve done something that no one thought we could do a year-and-a-half ago. We legalized industrial hemp and we’ve proven that it’s an agricultural crop and not a drug.”

Kentucky’s eight pilot hemp projects for research were put on hold after the seed shipment was stopped by U.S. customs officials in Louisville earlier this month. The state’s Agriculture Department then sued the federal government in hopes of freeing the seeds.

Growing hemp without a federal permit was banned in 1970 due to its classification as a controlled substance related to marijuana.

Hemp and marijuana are the same species, Cannabis sativa, but hemp has a negligible amount of THC, the psychoactive compound that gives marijuana users a high. Hemp’s comeback was spurred by the new federal farm bill, which allows state agriculture departments to designate hemp pilot projects for research in states such as Kentucky that allow hemp growing.

Justice Department spokeswoman Ellen Canale said Thursday the permit issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration authorizes the importation of 130 kilograms of hemp seeds.

The Justice Department was a defendant along with the DEA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the lawsuit filed by Kentucky’s Agriculture Department. The breakthrough came a day after attorneys for the Agriculture Department and federal government met with a federal judge.

The legal entanglements wasted some prime planting days, Comer said.

“There was no sense in this,” said Comer, a Republican who is considering a run for governor next year.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who crafted language in the farm bill allowing states to start pilot hemp projects, said he hoped the permit’s issuance was the final hurdle before hemp seeds are planted in his home state of Kentucky.

McConnell met with DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart on Wednesday to urge release of the seeds.

“It was the intent of my provision in the farm bill to allow states’ departments of agriculture and universities to explore the commercial use of industrial hemp as a means for job creation and economic development,” McConnell said.

Kentucky has been at the forefront of efforts to revive the versatile crop, and the lawsuit was closely watched in other states. Fifteen states have removed barriers to hemp production, according to the group Vote Hemp.

Vote Hemp spokeswoman Lauren Stansbury said the release of the seeds in Kentucky “sets enormous precedent.”

“We’ll continue to oppose the DEA’s claim to authority in this area, as federal authority over hemp cultivation must be rightfully acknowledged and administered under the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” she said.

In Colorado, where marijuana and hemp were legalized in 2012, state agriculture officials have approved more than 100 hemp-growing operations. Most will be small scale, on less than 1,700 acres altogether.

Kentucky agriculture officials said time was of the essence in winning release of the seeds. Any plantings past June 1 would jeopardize research data from test plots, they said. Six universities are helping with research.

Kentucky’s industrial hemp commission approved guidelines for the hemp projects. Federal officials also inspected the Agriculture Department’s facilities where hemp seeds would be stored before being sent to fields.

Comer said the state received another shipment of hemp seeds about three weeks ago, before the disputed shipment from Italy triggered the legal fight. That first shipment wasn’t confiscated and the state’s Agriculture Department distributed those seeds to some universities, he said. The schools delayed planting them due to the legal entanglements over the second shipment, he said.

Hemp has historically been used for rope but has many other uses: clothing and mulch from the fiber; hemp milk and cooking oil from the seeds; and soap and lotions. Comer sees hemp as a potential cash crop that could produce other jobs in processing.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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