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Show Page 2C THE HERALD, Provo, Utah. Thursday, November 22, 1979 Northern California xPot' Producers Facing Problems GARBERVILLE, Calif, UPI) - "Farmers" along California's north coast are harvesting a cash crop other than redwood trees these days. Many a latter day son of the soil has found that the climate is right and the profits pretty good in the illegal growing of marijuana. Growth of pot, particularly the expensive, potent and coveted sinsemilla variety, in coastal counties has brought a new source of revenue to an area long noted for poverty and high unemployment. Specifics are hard to find. Effects on the local economy are subtle. Residents who know what's going on seldom talk to strangers. Those outside the pot culture know little about it. Jumping to conclusions is easy. imFor instance, a visitor in a restaurant mediately becomes suspicious of two scruffy young men sitting at a nearby table. One orders shrimp cocktail and filet mignon, the other asks for prime .rib. Are these marijuana growers spending a little of their cash from the new harvest? "You won't get any facts, there aren't any," said one resident. There's no doubt marijuana is grown in the hills of Humboldt, Medocino, and Del Norte counties. This summer and fall, sheriff's deputies and an army of state and federal agents confiscated hundreds of plants, but made few arrests. But the importance of the north coast as a source of pot for the millions of Americans who smoke the weed seems vastly overrated. At best, even if all the marijuana grown in California made it to market, it could barely keep up with America's urge to puff on its most popular recreational drug. "It doesn't scratch the smoking itch of L.A. in 24 hours," said Ted Kogan, who has lived in the ' Garberville area for about 9 years. Kogan operated a natural foods store until earlier this year and is a sort of bridge between many counter-cultur- e folks and the straight community. He estimates that the average grower in Humboldt County makes between $5,000 and $10,000 a year from sales of pot, although a few bigtime fanners may make more. Folklore has it that Mercedes and BMW's are nosing each other out of parking spots on the main street of Garberville. Beat up pickup trucks aud dented Volkswagons are far more prevalent among residents of the hilly, rugged area. Money from the hill people, growers or not, does seem to flow into one store in particular the Open Circle Trading Co. A glance at the merchandise indicates the interest of the customers axes, wooden stoves, woolen shirts, stereo tape deks, sandals and irrigation systems, water punps, fencing, wheelbarrows and chicken manure. The latter equipment is important for pot growers. Manure is the best fertilizer, the pipe and pumps are for irrigation. Wheelbarrows are used to move the plants. Also on the shelves are expensive and delicate scales that measure in ounces and grams, the way marijuana is marketed. ; Not everyone who buys chicken manure or a wheelbarrow is a marijuana grower, of course, but growers do represent an important segment of the market. The proprietor, Bruce Tucker, like many others interviewed, downplays the importance of mari' juana on the local economy. "We have a good year every year," he said when asked about business. He objects to the attention the area has received and fears for the future. "There a lot of really heavy people that come into the area. That's the part that I object to," he said. Commerce Secretary Nominee Noted for Developer Achievements The whole situation has put politicians in a unique position. Legislators are faced with having a sizeable portion of their constituency breaking the law. "Many of them are beyond government's ability to do anything about them," said Assemblyman Doug Bosco, "It isn't a conventional problem we're up against." State Sen. Barry Keene has found in questionnaires that a vast majority of his constituents favor decriminalization or legalization of pot possession. But it is the Humboldt County Board of Super- visors that has wrestled most with the situation. The board has battled over acceptance of state and federal money to help pay overtime costs of deputies on pot raids. "You could spend millions of dollars and there's no way you could stamp out marijuana," said Sara Parsons, a board member who has opposed outside help. Some of that help has come from newly elected Los Angeles-base- d Attorney General George Deukmejian, who has led pot raids in Northern California after making sure television cameras were present. PHILIP By United Press International Philip M. Klutznick, nominated by President Carter as secretary of commerce, is most noted for the development of suburban Park Forest and three major shopping centers near Chicago. A native of Kansas City, Mo., Klutznick is presently a member of the advisory committee of Urban Investment and Development Co. a subsidiary of Aetna Life and Casualty Co. Klutznick, 72. was president of the company that developed Park Forest, winner of the American Institute of Architects postwar award for the best community development in Illinois and surrounding area, and the National Association of Home Builder s National Award of Merit in the 1951 Neighborhood Development Contest. His other business accomplishments include the Old Orchard, Oakbrook M. KLITCHN1CK V Center and River Oaks shopping centers in the Chicago suburban area. As a public servant, Klutznick was appointed by President Roosevelt as commissioner of the Federal Housing Authority and reappointed by President Truman. He was later appointed by President Kennedy as representative of the United States to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations with the rank of ambas. sador in He also served as a member of several delegations to the General Assembly of the United Nations and on special assignments by appointment of presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and 1961-62- Johnson. Klutznick studied at the universities of Kansas and Nebraska. He received his law degree from Creighton University in 1930 and was admitted to the bar in the same year. (J Babes to Boogies presents our Newest Models and our Christmas Gift Specials! - 1 Ui Tanner, . Leslie ti&zlps 2rfm0 JSii. Watt., Hillary Lambert, Kri. Hunter 0ff 0 jtj EtJ Co0ri . J9g ' st?P'. . X ' ST". 'Ztl"rL , Limits on Money K 7 I " " Liz Tan- - Bardall, DeAdder Leslie Watti, Tif-fa- ni CHRISTMAS DRKSES COATS "- Tracy ENTIRE STOCK OF: L,on,Do mm V ltl.ii.i.iii.wTi-- FRI. 6 SAT. OIIIY JEANS J WT tin -- . SLEEPWEAR , f SLEEPING JSg BAGS, Squeezing Farmers United Press International New Federal Reserve Board restrictions on the supply of money and credit are putting a tight squeeze on fanners, especially those already overextended on land and machinery, bankers and economists say. who often must make large capital expenditures to stay in business, also use credit to purchase fuel, fertilizer, seed and chemicals. Partly because of inflation, outstanding farm debt is increasing every year. As of Jan. 1, 1978,' farm debt nationwide was $119.3 billion; on Jan. 1, 1979, it was $137.5 billion, and the estimate for Jan. 1, 1980, is $157.8 billion. Faced with expensive credit, farmers should watch their cash flow very carefully and delay any Farmers, $&J$L 7?$p out," Walker said. Prices for fertilizer and chemicals, fairly stable the past year, are expected to jump significantly next spring, putting a further e squeeze onthe farmer who cannot pass on his costs like other businesses can, he said. One bright spot, however, is the bumper corn and soybean crops harvested this fall. In terms of net income, Harshbarger said, farmers in the Midwest have had two fine years Lonnie Doan, senior vice president for the Olney Trust and Banking Co., said he has advised farmers who have a good cash flow because of the large crop to delay big capital purchases if possible and save the money for spring planting needs. The big questions for farmers and bankers now are whether interest rates have peaked and how soon credit costs will begin to come down. "It's anybody's guess what's going to happen on interest rates," said Dale Stinton, director of farm management for the Illinois Agricultural Associacost-pric- back-to-bac- tion. "I expected them to peak before now. Last winter, we thought we would be on the downslide by now. I don't know any economists who are making any projections when they are going to peak this winter, but it should be before spring planting season." " Jenni Carver, Michelle Ohran, DeAnn tucker, Sidney Lunt, Wendy Robertson, Alisha Robertson,' Michelle Ohran, Marie Bradsnaw, Megan Wasden. DeAnn Tucker I r tl lid 7S To- - Julie Secreran, Charlorte Tanner, Megan Wasden, Pam Yaeaer, Sidney lunt, Wendy Robertson, Hillary Lambert : . t?V f H; 1 I Charlotte Tanner large machinery purchases for the time being, economists advise. "Since farming is a business with higher operational costs than most, they have to be cautious about how much cash flow they can take on," said Folke Dovring, a University of Illinois agricultural economist. C. Edward Harshbarger, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City on loan to the Farm Credit Administration in Washington, said it at a cost. Farmers, appears funds are available however, may have to seek out a few more sources than usual, such as insurance companies or the farm credit system. Howard Walker, vice president of the First National Bank in Metamora, 111., is worried the credit crunch along with soaring fuel and fertilizer casts will force a small segment of farmers out of business. "When it comes to refinancing, some farmers might find it most difficult to meet the repayment of loans. They may have gotten themselves a little overextended and as interest rates and fuel costs get higher, some are going to find it that much harder to come up with the net money, find themselves in a difficult position and have to sell Marit Bradihaw, tmmmmf .1 T ""7 ' f DeAnn Tucker, Pam Yaeger, Valeri Barton, Heidi Smoot, Lisa Porter, Ttffani DeAdder Christmas Tara Wasden, Lisa Porter, Tracy Beardall, Alisha Robertson, Jenni Carver, Heidi Smoot M i iRob INFANT THRU PRETEEN CLOTHING BtfBefi.. UNIVERSITY MALL rmji |