Latest news with #Garrison
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hemp was supposed to benefit SC farmers. Many have ditched the crop.
A man works on the cannabis sativa plant used to make hemp. (Photo courtesy of Cannalina Hemp Company) Thomas Garrison, a multi-generation farmer in Anderson County, said he believed the hype around hemp. Garrison, who's farmed in Pendelton since graduating from Clemson in 1980, was among the group who pushed for a 2017 law that allowed farmers in the state to grow hemp, a plant that's the same species as marijuana but lacks the THC that gets people high. Despite being one of the state's hemp pioneers, he abandoned the crop after just two seasons. He didn't even seek a permit in 2020. Garrison told the SC Daily Gazette his venture into hemp was probably the worst in his 45 years as a farmer. It's a risk that Garrison estimates cost him more than $100,000 in unused crops, equipment and time spent, said the 67-year-old son of the late state Sen. T. Ed Garrison, namesake of the livestock arena at Clemson. He declined to specify how much he lost. 'It was not a very good experience,' he said. Hemp was supposed to be the next moneymaker for South Carolina farmers. And once they were able, the farmhands flocked to the opportunity. Many suffered similar fates to Garrison. Farmers and lawmakers described the hemp industry as an unregulated battle for survival, where supply ultimately outweighed the demand, causing many to ditch the crop altogether. 'It was like the Wild West,' Garrison recently told the SC Daily Gazette. After the 2017 law passed, 20 farmers received a permit to grow hemp on a maximum 20 acres each in the state's pilot program. More than 100 applicants were denied. Among the 20 were Danny Ford, Clemson's first national championship football coach, and former state Rep. Chip Limehouse. The pilot program created by the 2017 law allowed a doubling in 2019 to 40 permits farming 40 acres each. But in the wake of the 2018 federal farm bill that legalized the crop nationwide, the Legislature passed another law in March 2019 that deleted the constraints and allowed the state Department of Agriculture to issue licenses to any farmer who met the legal criteria. The agency ended up giving 161 permits for the 2019 crop. For 2020, the number rocketed to 265. But this year, the number of farmers with permits is down to 80. It's unclear how many of those 80 farmers actually grow hemp. Some of the farmers go through the process to get licensed, which costs about $600 and involves a background check. But they aren't planting hemp. They're just keeping their options open. Among the factors that could have affected a desire to grow the crop was the 2019 arrest of Lowcountry farmer John Trenton Pendarvis. Law enforcement claimed his 10 acres of hemp in Harleyville were unregistered and mowed it down the same day. Pendarvis, the first person charged with violating the state's hemp-growing law, filed a lawsuit against the State Law Enforcement Division, including SLED Chief Mark Keel in his official capacity, Attorney General Alan Wilson and others. The suit led to SLED being forced to pay more than $11,000 in attorney fees to Pendarvis in 2023 for its handling of the lawsuit's discovery process. A SLED spokesperson declined the allegations at the time. The mess could have deterred farmers who were worried about being targeted, said state Sen. Brad Hutto, Pendarvis' lawyer. 'I think it definitely had a chilling effect,' Hutto, D-Orangeburg, told the SC Daily Gazette. 'They put a farmer in jail when he was growing a legal crop.' The case is ongoing. Hutto doesn't expect a resolution until at least late summer. When South Carolina first permitted farmers to grow hemp, lawmakers and farmers thought they were getting in on the next big cash crop. Most farmers have a primary crop that they make money on. Hemp was supposed to provide a year-round option to grow for lots of different uses, including clothing, food, textiles and even paper. Encouraging its growth was supposed to allow farmers to continue profiting at times when their main crop could not grow, said House Majority Leader Davey Hiott, who chaired the House agriculture committee when the hemp laws passed. 'It was supposed to help them make a little bit of money,' said the Pickens Republican. A decade ago, Hiott was eager to see farmers capitalize on the industrial use of hemp, such as clothing. In 2017, Pickens County was home to 740 farms, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 'It started that way. It didn't end that way,' Hiott said. David Dewitt, an agronomist at Clemson University said, 'what people really want to do is alter their state of mind.' In 2014, the Legislature passed a law legalizing the sale of CBD, or cannabidiol, a hemp-derived, non-psychoactive oil used for various ailments. But that state law was very limited, authorizing it only for patients diagnosed with severe epilepsy. After the 2018 federal law broadened what was legal, farmers saw an opportunity. And the large majority of hemp growers in the state wanted in. And that's when problems started, farmers told the Gazette. James Fairey, a 50-year-old from Williamston, started growing hemp in 2020, the state's peak for permits. Even after others bowed out of the industry, he continued to grow. After four years of losing money, he finally turned a profit on the crop in 2024. He credits a gradually growing customer base and a willingness to learn along the way for reversing his fortunes. The biggest difference between him and most growers, he said, is he started growing hemp because he believes in the ailment-relieving health benefits of CBD. The money was secondary. 'The only currencies that matter are health and kindness, and that's what I provide,' Fairey said. When hemp growers first started growing, the biomass material used for CBD could be sold for up to $60 a pound, DeWitt said. A couple of years later, farmers were offered as little as $5 per pound. 'Nobody wants to grow something they can't sell,' DeWitt said. If the market changes, licensed farmers who are sitting on the sidelines may jump back in. 'Some of them have planted very little, but there's no penalty for not planting it,' Dewitt said. Other early hemp growers included Cannalina Hemp Company, formerly known as Charleston Hemp Company. The company started in 2018 and grew its own hemp, while operating a storefront. In 2020, the decision was made to stop growing the crop. 'There was an oversupply of the market, and the prices collapsed,' said Lina Wu, the company's owner. However, there was still money to be made in selling the CBD gummies, oils, vapes, lotions, and other edibles. The Cannalina Hemp Company's Goose Creek retail location is open and operating. It has a loyal customer base, buys from numerous South Carolina hemp growers and prides itself on carrying quality products at an affordable price, according to its Facebook profile. However, there are 'a lot cheaper products out there, especially in gas stations,' Wu said. When asked if the business would ever return to growing its own hemp, Wu said now is not the time. 'There's too many growers on the market,' she said. Kurt Brower, the co-owner of Carolina Botanicals, echoed a similar sentiment after losing about $200,000 in his venture. Though the company maintains a hemp license, it doesn't make economic sense to grow hemp right now, he said. Brower now focuses on processing biomass for farmers into products they can sell, as well as selling their own products. The 27-year-old said he previously bought hemp exclusively from South Carolina farmers, but as the number of producers has dropped, he's had to start buying from farmers in neighboring Georgia and North Carolina. 'There's no outlet of sale on the hemp side' for farmers, he said. 'It put a chokehold' on growers. Hiott, the House majority leader, said hemp is no longer on his radar. Eva Moore, a spokesperson with the state Department of Agriculture, said recruitment isn't a problem, farmers are often intrigued by growing hemp. But a shift from CBD to growing hemp for fiber or grain would open up new economic opportunities. Moore said she's heard reports that processors are still sitting on hemp they bought in 2022. 'The market has not been great for farmers,' Moore said. 'Whether you're growing cotton, peaches, or hemp, you have to be able to make a living doing it.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sister Wives star Kody Brown shares odd plans to bond with ex Christine's new husband after son's tragic death
Kody Brown is warming up to ex-wife Christine Brown's new husband David Woolley, after meeting him more than one year ago. On Sunday's episode of TLC's long-running reality series Sister Wives, titled One on One, Kody admitted to host Sukanya Krishnan that Davis is 'great' and 'probably a decent person.' Asked if he could see himself going on a double date with his ex-wife and her spouse, the 56-year-old father-of-18 — who shared a shocking admission about his late son Garrison — took his answer a step further. 'I don't know. I think personally, I think I'm very forgiving and I think that'd be really easy for me,' Kody replied. 'Here's the thing... I had a dirty thought. I thought David and I should go on a guy's trip together. And then I went, no, that would just be so uncool to Christine.' He reiterated, 'I just thought that would absolutely not be fair in any way.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Meanwhile, Christine said in her own interview, 'In a whole other world and universe, I thought it would be nice if, you know, Kody and David could get along and just be buddies.' Sukanya then revealed Kody's guys trip idea her and her husband, who tied the knot in October 2023. David replied, 'We could do that,' as Christine agreed, per an account from People, 'You'd have a good time!' David made a note that 'rules' would have to be established, but added that they would be between him and Kody. Christine also weighed in about the double date proposition, saying she'd be willing to go on a date with Kody and Robyn 'in the future,' but 'right now, no.' She clarified, 'Honestly, I'd have to talk a lot about it beforehand. I'd be a mess before. I'd be like, "I don't know. I don't know if I can do this." And David would be like, "It's going to be OK, you're going to be fine. I'm here. I got you." 'I have a lot of nervousness about that, and a lot of nervousness about being around them right now.' And she said her anxiety is rooted in that Kody 'doesn't know who I am,' adding, 'I don't like what he says about me.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Christine Brown Woolley (@christine_brownsw) The patriarch shared his side, stating, 'You know, we just haven't healed that much. Christine's very undermining.' Brown's first time meeting Woolley was shown in a November episode of Sister Wives when they came face-to-face during a family Valentine's Day party. Christine went public with now-husband David via social media in February 2023. It came after she and Kody separated in November 2021 after more than 25 years together, during which they welcomed Paedon, 26, Aspyn, 30, Mykelti, 29 on June 9, Gwendlyn, 23, Ysabel, 21, and Truely, 15. Christine rebounded with David, whom she met on a dating app. After they married, the TV personality gushed, 'I'm happier than I've ever been. I absolutely love monogamy — I was made for it.' In addition to his split from Christine, Kody also lost second wife, Janelle Brown, and first wife, Meri Brown.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Watch: Colorado police capture pet kangaroo on the lam... again
DURANGO, Colo. – A kangaroo in Colorado was captured once again after escaping for a second time in seven months. A kangaroo in Durango, Colorado, has already established himself as a local legend after escaping from his owner in 2024. Video from Durango Police shows Officer Garrison gently approaching and petting the kangaroo before hoisting the cute, not-so-little animal into his arms. "We can't say we saw 'kangaroo roundup' in the job description, but here we are," said the Durango Police Department in a Facebook post. According to National Geographic, red kangaroos can reach speeds of over 35 mph. Its average lifespan is up to 23 years, and it can weigh up to a beastly 200 pounds. The kangaroo did not resist arrest and was safely placed in the back of a police vehicle. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, some exotic animals, such as red kangaroos, wallaroos, swamp wallabies, dama wallabies, and bennett wallabies, are legal to own in the state. St. Louis Zoo Scrambles Animals, 10,000 Visitors To Safety As Ef-3 Tornado Leaves Trail Of Damage The police department noted that the kangaroo had significantly grown since their last encounter in October 2024. "To our four-legged friend: you've officially earned the title of Durango's Most Unexpected Repeat Offender," Durango police article source: Watch: Colorado police capture pet kangaroo on the lam... again
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Michigan House passes bill to rename part of M-6 in honor of tow truck driver
LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) — A West Michigan tow truck driver who lost his life along M-6 near Grand Rapids is being honored by the Michigan House of Representatives. The House passed a bill Tuesday that would designate a portion of the roadway the . The bill now moves to the Michigan Senate for consideration. The parents of Keagan Spencer have been working to honor the life of their son who died in . Tow truck driver honored by community following deadly crash His father Matt Spencer and mother Kiko Garrison were the special guests of State Representative Angela Rigas, who introduced to name a portion of the highway in his memory. 'It's kind of surreal that our child had to give his life to raise awareness but there comes a certain amount of honor that distinction and I think I'm gonna be pretty dang proud,' Spencer said. The bill would make the portion of M-6 from Kalamazoo Avenue to 60th Street the Keagan Spencer Memorial Highway. 'Keagan was a servant, he was, just loved helping people. He had a passion for the towing industry like you just don't see in young people today,' Spencer said. Father of tow truck driver killed in crash: 'Move over' Keagan was a third-generation tow truck driver. Many drivers came to the House session and sat in the gallery to show their support. 'I feel like our legislators are recognizing that tow truck drivers aren't just these men in their Hi-Viz at the side of the road. These are actual first responders,' Garrison said. The family wants to bring awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and to remind people of . 'I hope that parents will let these young drivers that are beginning to drive the highways say remember that story when they go past that sign and maybe there'll be a discussion,' Garrison said. Keagan's parents are grateful for the honor and hope the designation will make an impact. 'If I get an opportunity to go down M-6 and pass my son's sign, it makes me proud. It will make me proud because he deserves that just like all these other men and women do,' Garrison said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘Sister Wives' star Kody Brown honors late son Garrison in ‘deeply emotional' way
Kody Brown is mourning his son's death in a unique way. The 56-year-old 'Sister Wives' star announced the death of his son Garrison, whom he shares with his ex-wife Janelle Brown, 56, on March 5, 2024. Garrison was 25 years old when he died by suicide. In the newest episode of the hit reality show, which aired May 18 on TLC, Kody Brown arrived at Penrose Cemetery in Byron, Wyoming, where the family chose to have Garrison buried. But instead of having the sexton dig the grave, Kody Brown wanted to do it himself. 'Here's the thing. I talked to the sexton of the cemetery, and he's the one that would normally dig the graves,' Kody Brown explained in a confessional, per People. 'I just asked him (for) permission if I could dig it. It means something to me. I don't know why,' he added. 'It's something deeply emotional.' Cameras followed Kody Brown as he, his brother, Scott, and his brother-in-law, Tim, dug a hole big enough for an urn. Kody Brown later admitted that he didn't know how big the urn was because it wasn't made yet. 'Mitch, my son-in-law, married to Aspyn, is making something different and I don't know what it looks like yet,' Kody Brown explained to the cameras. 'For the act of effort in this, because we're not digging a grave big enough for a coffin, I'm going to make it a little bit bigger than certainly that I need for this urn,' he continued. He also wanted 'the experience of doing some real effort' in honor of his son. 'Just trying to honor my son as best I can. I don't even know if it's honor. It's mourning,' he added. The urn, which was later revealed in a clip of the emotional funeral service, was designed to look like a Viking ship due to Garrison's strong interest in Norse culture. His ashes were buried alongside other family members. 'My dad is buried here,' Kody Brown shared. 'My mom will be. Janelle's mom, Grandma Cheryl, is buried here.' 'It's just the place and we can see this mountain over here. It's called the Heart Mountain and it's familiar to me,' he continued. Kody Brown then explained how he wanted Garrison 'buried right next to Cheryl' because she 'nurtured Garrison as much as any of us.' 'And I'm putting Garrison in grandma's arms,' he added. Kody Brown went on to describe digging the grave as 'one of the most important things' he had ever done. 'It's the last ode to my boy,' he added. In a confessional of her own, Janelle Brown, who announced her separation from Kody Brown in 2022, praised her ex-husband for wanting to dig their son's grave himself. 'I thought it was perfect,' she said. 'I think it's symbolic and poetic and all the things to have Kody dig that hole.' Kody Brown was appreciative of his ex-wife's blessing. 'I asked her if I could do this and she was kind and gracious,' Kody Brown added, per E! News. 'She said, 'I think that'd be really sweet,' and I'm glad that she saw it that way because I need this.' Aside from Garrison, Janelle and Kody Brown share five children together, including sons Logan, Hunter and Gabriel, and daughters Savanah and Madison, per People. Kody Brown also shares six children with ex-wife Christine Brown, one child with ex-wife Meri Brown and five children with current wife Robyn Brown.
