Soap Box

To the editor,

In 2013, I received a call from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asking me, as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, to support a pilot program to allow farmers to grow hemp. Knowing Colorado farmers’ interest in the crop, I jumped at the chance and pushed to include the program in the 2014 Farm Bill.

Over the next four years, Colorado’s hemp industry boomed. From 2014-18, our hemp cultivation increased six-fold. As the industry grew, I visited hemp businesses and farms across our state, including stops at State Sen. Don Coram’s operation in Montrose and at Colorado Cultivars in Eaton. Each visit underscored the crop’s versatility and potential. Coloradans were turning hemp into clothing, food and animal feed. They were making plastics and CBD oils for pain and inflammation. In short, they were turning this new crop, which is well suited for our arid climate, into a welcome source of income.

But as Colorado’s hemp businesses have continued to grow, they have run into obstacles from Washington. Our farmers are worried about maintaining access to their water. They are unable to buy crop insurance or transport seeds. Some have encountered red tape opening a bank account or applying for federal grants.

In response, Coloradans have taken action. When the state passed a law to protect water access for hemp growers, our office followed the lead and introduced similar legislation in Congress. We pressed the Obama administration to make federal resources available to hemp growers. More recently, we pushed the Trump administration to help them access banking services. Last spring, we introduced a bill to legalize hemp as an agricultural commodity.

We had a breakthrough this year when the Senate Agriculture Committee adopted our language to legalize hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill. Now that we’ve passed the Farm Bill, and the President has signed it into law, hemp cultivation is fully legal for the first time in 50 years. That means less uncertainty and more opportunity for hemp farmers, small businesses and manufacturers.

In the years since McConnell’s call, I’ve learned more about hemp than I ever expected. More than anything, it’s given me the opportunity to see more of our state’s boundless creativity, determination and entrepreneurship. In the face of barriers and uncertainty, Coloradans have led the country in demonstrating hemp’s potential. If we continue to curb Washington’s influence, there’s no limit to what our state can achieve.

– Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.

To the editor,

Nancy Pelosi has joked about “The $1 Wall” she’d support or 2,000 miles of a hippy-beaded wall. Kidding aside, security costs for our government will increase substantially, even with a $100 billion steel wall, if the Democrats “scream Uncle.”

Why not have our government give parcels along the border to U.S. military coming home from overseas, homeless vets – sky’s the limit – on which to build their homes with red, white and blue picket fences? Anyone from Mexico would think twice about scaling a picket fence, uninvited, where gun-trained homeowners live.

Better yet, why not have picnic areas every few miles on the border for everyone, including children. The U.S. and Mexican folks could share in pot lucks and save mucho bucks in security!

– Sally Florence, Durango

To the editor,

Two years ago, the day after Mr. Trump’s inauguration, women and men from across the U.S. turned out in record numbers for the largest single-day protest ever, speaking with one voice against misogyny, racism and petty cruelty. Indivisible Durango staged one of the 700 worldwide marches right here. Last year, we did it again, inspiring ourselves and our community to make a real difference in 2018. Hundreds turned out. And, as you know, La Plata County had a 62 percent turnout for the November election – an unheard of participation rate! As a result, we helped elect men and women who share our concerns for the environment and for our children, for affordable health care and meaningful investments in our country, and for competency in government.

If you are one of the people who smiled, or even teared up, to see so many new women join Congress just a few days ago, to hear so many people of different colors and religions and ethnicities recite their Constitutional oaths, then you will want to join us Sat., Jan. 19, to celebrate “Women’s Wave – Building Power” march. Join us, and your sisters and brothers across the country, as we gather inspiration and determination to support and care for each other, our children and our planet. The march starts at 10:30 a.m. at the train station and goes to Buckley Park, where there will be a rally with music, signs, energy and inspirational speakers. See you there!

– Anne Markward, Indivisible Durango