DEA is delaying the release of the hemp seeds from Italy because it isn’t medicinal hemp.
Via Herald Ledger
A federal judge in Louisville has scheduled a hearing for Friday on the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s motion to force the U.S. Justice Department to release imported hemp seeds.
U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II has set a 1 p.m. hearing on a motion for a restraining order and preliminary injunction filed Wednesday by Agriculture Commissioner James Comer. The state has imported 250 pounds of Italian hemp seed that must be planted by June 1. U.S. Customs in Louisville has detained the seeds for more than a week.
Meanwhile, a group of Rockcastle County farmers who plan to legally put hemp seeds in Kentucky soil for the first time in decades have delayed their planting, at least temporarily.
“We’ve got all these people coming in from all over the country,” said Mike Lewis, executive director of Growing Warriors, the group of military veteran farmers who plan to grow hemp in conjunction with Kentucky State University. “We can’t do much. We’re going to remain hopeful the commissioner will get this worked out.”
Lewis said they might have a protest against the Drug Enforcement Administration’s actions and stall for time, in case Heyburn hands down a ruling.
“We’ll plant some chocolate-covered hemp seeds and point the hypocrisy of the situation,” Lewis said. “And we’ll be ready at 1:30 if we get the call.”
His group had planned on planting hemp seeds donated by a California company and apparently imported without a problem.
Earlier Thursday, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell called on the DEA to release the hemp seeds that have been held in Louisville.
The Agriculture Department imported the seeds for university research projects, but the DEA has blocked their release, saying the state must have a controlled-substance import permit.