In speaking with local farmer's here in N.E. Wisconsin, I can already see there is a burden to small farmer's here, caused by potential costs of licensing and other fees currently being proposed. If we truly want Hemp to succeed as a crop here where farms are small, we must make Hemp farming doable for small farmer's here in rural Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Our dairy farmers were shut down due to state and federal regulations which these small farmers could not accomplish. One such dairy farmer had to shut down his family’s generational dairy farm due to a crack in the barn floor. In order to continue his operation, he was required to rear out the entire barn floor (the foundation), and replace the entire thing. 

I do not want to see ridiculous, though well intended requirement's such as this, pushed onto small farmer's, the heart and soul of America.  If Hemp farming is truly intended to boost the economy and create jobs in rural areas like mine, the industry standard's must be reasonable, and do not block small family farms from really being the hub of Hemp production here in the U.S.

If the Hemp industry implements costly licensing fees, testing, and other fees, how is the small Hemp farmer expected to be able to purchase costly seed? This question leads me to another question.

Will Hemp farmers have the ability to keep seed from year to year? If not, then I do not see a future for small family farms in rural America, but only another mega corporate control, where only the biggest farms can afford to grow Hemp. Remember, there are huge start-up costs already involved to farmer's, due to equipment overhaul, or purchase, and seed.

Thank you for your response to my concerns.

Laurie DeGrave
Florence, WI