NEBRASKA CITY – Republican governor candidate Krystal Gabel says the legalization of industrial hemp is the solution to Nebraska’s tax issues.
She said establishing hemp as an agricultural economy will provide sustainable economic benefit, compared to Gov. Pete Rickett’s tax proposal.
Gabel: “The budget-tax package proposed last week by Gov. Pete Ricketts merely re-shuffles existing resources. Specifically, Ricketts wants to reduce state spending, borrow more from the cash reserve fund, rely more on tax credits for common Nebraskans, and reduce top individual and corporate income taxes.”
She said up to a third of Nebraska farmers would welcome the option of rotating industrial hemp into their fields and said 90 percent support allowing industrial hemp production in the state.
Gabel: “It is clearly well known across Nebraska that biotechnology corn and soybeans crops are failing to provide the revenues needed to save our agriculture.”
A crop’s value is dependent on yields and market prices.
Gabel said, as of Jan. 12, farmers across Nebraska were offered an average of $3.09 per bushel and $8.65 per bushel respectively, for their corn and soybeans.
Gabel: “ These cash price returns are low enough that, in many cases, they will not cover a farmer’s budget to plant, grow, and harvest next year’s crop.”
