Farm Business Communications, 4/24/2008 
Ottawa to fund B.C. hemp plot trials
By FBC staff
B.C. forestry towns hit hard by the mountain pine beetle will use federal cash to see whether they can produce hemp commercially.
The project in the District of 100 Mile House, about 200 km northwest of Kamloops, will be funded through the federal Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI).
Ottawa will put up $235,665 for the district to launch a hemp production pilot project, Kamloops MP Betty Hinton announced Thursday.
The project will look at the viability of an industrial hemp processing facility for the area and will also include the production of 200 acres of industrial hemp test plots, plus product development and test marketing.
Fibre from industrial hemp can be used in to make products such as particleboard, insulation materials, and countertops. Industrial hemp crops are non-psychoactive strains of cannabis sativa and are not to be confused with the illegal strains that a 2004 Fraser Institute study estimated as a $7 billion industry in B.C. alone.
CEDI, a two-year, $33 million program, is part of Ottawa's $200 million plan to help British Columbia's forestry sector and forestry-dependent communities handle the short- and long-term effects of the mountain pine beetle infestation on B.C.'s forestry sector.
A series of recent mild winters and dry summers in the B.C. interior led to an infestation of the beetle in the region's stands of mature lodgepole pine. The infestation, as of last year, had hit an estimated 33.3 million acres of Crown forest.
The 100 Mile House project was announced at the same time as a CEDI investment of $149,800 for the Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society to study the feasibility of a regional First Nations Cultural Centre.
Federal Mountain Pine Beetle Funding for Hemp Pilot Project; Cultural Centre Study
The Government of Canada is investing almost $450,000 for two local projects to help 100 Mile House and 108 Mile Ranch diversify their local economies and help manage the economic impacts of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation.
The funding was announced today by Betty Hinton, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification, Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources and Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages. The majority of funding is provided through the Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI), a component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program.
"The Government of Canada is helping B.C. communities to not only survive the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation, but to thrive, said MP Hinton. "Our Government's investments in these two projects will bring 100 Mile House and 108 Mile Ranch one step closer to a more sustainable, diversified local economy."
"The project announced today is an example of how the Government of Canada is addressing the needs of communities affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation," said Minister Lunn. "Through this support, our government is helping impacted communities turn challenges into economic opportunities."
A federal investment of $235,665 will help the District of 100 Mile House launch a hemp production pilot project. This project will assess the viability of an industrial hemp processing facility, and includes the production of 200 acres of industrial hemp crop demonstrations, product development and test marketing. An alternative source of fibre, industrial hemp can be used in the development of construction products such as particleboard, insulation materials, and countertops.
An additional federal investment of $149,800 through CEDI will support the Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society to study the feasibility of a regional First Nations Cultural Centre. The Department of Canadian Heritage is also providing $62,687 for this initiative.
"This project is an excellent example of culture and the arts contributing to the economic well-being of our communities," said Minister Verner.
Managed by Western Economic Diversification Canada, CEDI will invest more than $33 million over two years in communities most at risk from the beetle infestation. The program supports a wide range of projects that further economic growth, job creation and future community sustainability.
The CEDI program is part of the Government of Canada's $200 million comprehensive response to mitigate the short-term and long-term effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation on B.C.'s forestry sector. This federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program is led by Natural Resources Canada, in collaboration with Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Transport Canada.
Western Economic Diversification Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada.
For more information on the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program, please visit: http://mpb.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications_e.html
For additional information, contact:
Tom Wakefield
Communications Officer
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Tel: (604) 666-2445
Cell: (604) 218-4395
Carollyne Evans
Administrator
District of 100 Mile House
(250) 395-2434
Graham Leslie
Secretary
Northern Secwepemc Cultural Society
(250) 791-7267
Why Not Hemp?
Submitted by earlbishop on Tue, 2008-04-15 12:24.
George Washington grew it. Thomas Jefferson wrote the draft of the Declaration of Independence on paper made of it. Henry Ford raised it and ran a Model T on its oil. He also built the side panels of the car from its fibers. Prior to 1945 it was one of the largest cash crops in the U.S. It was used in the manufacture of paper, cardboard, some building supplies, some clothings, plastics and other products. Then, as the price of petroleum oil decreased, it became an unprofitable crop and it largely disappeared from U.S. soil. The federal government then banned its growth. Today every country in the world grows this crop with the exception of the U.S. China grows 40% of the world’s production. The U.S. imports quantities of its oil and plant, but it is illegal to grow it.
The crop is industrial hemp, Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa var. sativa, not the variety commonly referred to as marijuana. The primary difference between the two is the amount of THC, the psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis, in the former it is minute, while it is high in marijuana. Fears that marijuana could be grown in the same field as industrial hemp are unfounded. In order to produce quality marijuana only the unfertilized female plant is desired. Once fertilized the potency decreases and the plant becomes woody and full of seeds. A marijuana plant mixed in with a field of industrial hemp will certainly be come fertilized and of little use in the narcotics trade.
Industrial hemp has myriad commercial uses ranging from paper to textiles, from plastics to health food to fuel. It is one of the fastest growing plants around, with maturity for harvest at an average of 13 weeks after sowing, so two crops a year are possible over most of the U.S. It requires little or no pesticides, replenishes the soil with nitrogen and other nutrients, controls erosion, produces large amounts of oxygen and absorbs great quantities of carbon dioxide. It can be used to replace many products, including some tree paper, synthetic oils in cosmetics, and plastics that don’t decompose.
Hemp oil can be used in bio-diesel engines without further refining. It has many advantages over fossil fuels. Using pyrolysis to convert the biomass to fuel, results in a product with a heating value of 5000-8000 BTU/lb. Ethanol, methanol, methane gas and gasoline can be derived from the biomass at a fraction of the cost of coal, oil or nuclear energy. One acre of hemp can yield about 1000 gallons of methanol. When growing, it takes carbon dioxide from the air. When burned it releases an equal amount back into the atmosphere, creating a balanced system. Its use as a fuel would end acid rain since it releases no other pollutant.
It has been estimated that use of 6% of the present croplands in the U.S. would provide all the energy requirements for the entire country, including cars, heating of homes, electricity and industry. At the present time farmers have 6% (about 90 million acres) of the tillable land lying fallow in the CRP program while another 500 million acres lies fallow in marginal lands that could grow hemp.
Right now, the most compelling argument for industrial hemp is its use to produce fuel. It would provide us a renewable source of energy and free us from dependency of foreign governments for our fuel. Hemp seed oil has been used historically as a lamp oil. It lit the lamps of Lincoln and Abraham the prophet. Anything made from fossil fuels can be made from hemp. Hemp oil can be made into anything with an oil base. Most paints and varnishes were made with hemp oil until the 1930’s. The list goes on and on.
We need to pressure our congress to change the rules and allow the farming of industrial hemp. It poses no threat and can yield a world of good, including more income to the farmer, an increase in new jobs across the country, and best of all, remove the U.S. from its dependency on oil imports from places like Venezuela and Iran.
Donnachadh McCarthy: The Home Ecologist
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Hemp is the latest alternative to concrete. And like vegetables or fruit, it's locally grown.
I have managed to avoid the home extension craze, involving as it does significant resource consumption and CO2 emissions. Globally, the concrete industry emits about 7 per cent of total CO2 emissions, due to the energy required to turn crushed limestone and clay into concrete.
The concrete blocks used in a typical home result in the emission of 40 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to seven years' worth of emissions from the house.
But if that extension is unavoidable, what can you do? This was the problem Adnams Brewery faced with their new eco-friendly distribution centre. Then the management hit on a solution. They teamed up with Lime Technology, who supplied Hemcrete blocks made from lime and hemp. Adnams even provided development funding to enable mass production of the 90,000 blocks.
The results were striking. Due to the insulation properties of the Hemcrete blocks, the new distribution centre requires no cooling systems to keep their precious stock of Adnams beers in top condition.
Hemcrete's manufacturers claim that because the hemp is grown in East Anglia using no fertilisers, they lock up CO2 from the atmosphere – so they're actually carbon-negative!
Adnams' decision to use Hemcrete blocks resulted in a net negative 150 tonnes of CO2. And of course, the fact that the new building requires no heating or cooling systems results in massive annual CO2 savings.
Hemcrete is now rolling out these blocks to the wider building industry. Previously, Hemcrete was only available by spraying it into wall-shaped moulds on site, generally in timber-framed buildings. They found that builders were often reluctant to try new systems, but were more open to using traditional-shaped hemp blocks. The blocks come in both structural and non-structural strength. The structural blocks have a strength of three newtons, which is the same as traditional concrete blocks and can be used in buildings up to three storeys high.
As a new product, Hemcrete has not achieved mass-market efficiencies yet, so it is still up to three times the price of concrete. By specifying them now, however, enlightened home owners and business people can provide a lead and help create a mass market for them, so that the good people at Hemcrete can bring the prices down soon.
I really love the idea of the Sixties baby-boomers proudly showing off their hemp collections – only this time pointing to their walls, rather than their gardens.
The author is an eco-auditor and is author of 'Easy Eco-auditing' www.3acorns.co.uk
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods expands with new facility In Winnipeg
2008-03-26 - Manitoba Harvest
Winnipeg, Manitoba (March 26, 2008) – Sales of healthy hemp foods are skyrocketing, so much in fact that Winnipeg-based Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils is in the process of expanding into a much larger state-of-the-art food manufacturing facility. The company has begun the challenging process of moving their operations across the city to a new 20,000 sq. foot space on Eagle Drive that will increase their production capacity by at least 500%.
Manitoba Harvest plans to hire 5 more employees in 2008 and more in the future as they expand production to meet demand from rapidly growing domestic and international markets. The company is in the process of purchasing new processing and packaging equipment to be installed at the site. The leased facility will also provide an abundance of office, warehouse and shipping space, as well as a full-scale laboratory for in-house product quality testing. Manitoba Harvest has completed Phase 1 by moving their offices and warehouse operations and plans to have Phase 2 & 3 (Packaging & Production) complete by the end of summer. A Grand Opening celebration will be held that is timed to coincide with the hemp harvest season.
“For each of the past several years our sales have been growing at least 50%, so each year the production and shipping areas here at the obsolete Notre Dame Ave. site have been getting tighter and tighter,” notes Martin Moravcik, Co-founder & Vice President of Operations that oversees the production side of the company. “The new, larger space represents a big milestone for us, things are really rolling along now and this will help us be even more efficient and further ensure optimal quality,” adds Moravcik, whom was one of the hemp pioneers in the early 1990s that worked with the government and other advocates to make hemp agriculture legal again in Canada in 1998.
Manitoba Harvest’s work pioneering hemp agriculture and helping to spread organic farming helped earn them the 2006 Socially Responsible Business Award at the Natural Products Expo East trade show, the largest event of its kind in North America. Not only is hemp good for human health, it is also good for the planet. Hemp is naturally pest-resistant, and because hemp plants grow rapidly and close together, they crowd out weeds and don’t need herbicides. It is also a soil-building plant that is excellent for crop rotation. In line with the Manitoba Harvest mission, the facility offers many energy conservation and environmentally-friendly features. For example, the facility will include energy efficient lighting, R20 insulation to lower heating and cooling costs, energy efficient HVAC heating and cooling systems which is approved by the Manitoba Hydro Power Smart Program.
“Hemp Foods are Hot!”
Hemp seed exports from Canada grew 300% from 2006-2007, according to Agri-Food Canada (a government agency). During the past 5 years, Manitoba Harvest’s sales have grown more than 500% earning them a spot on the 2007 Profit 100 list of the fastest growing businesses in Canada. “Foods that offer omega-3 essential fats like hemp are hot because medical evidence demonstrating the health benefits of this nutrient continues to grow,” notes Mike Fata, President and co-founder of Manitoba Harvest.
Last year, Manitoba Harvest launched Hemp Bliss (the first organic non-dairy hempmilk), which earned the 2007 Best New Food Product Award at Natural Products Expo East. Because Hemp Bliss is a convenient and delicious source of balanced omega nutrition, it is already fueling the next round of rapid growth. This month the company is extending their line of organic hempmilks by launching Unsweetened Hemp Bliss.
In addition to being among the best sources of omega-3 and omega 6 essential fats, hemp seed is an impressive source of whole protein, healthy fiber and it offers an abundance of vitamins and minerals. In addition to Hemp Bliss, Manitoba Harvest produces organic cold-pressed Hemp Seed Oil, Shelled Hemp Seed, Hemp Seed Butter and Hemp Protein Powder.
Founded in 1998, Manitoba Harvest is proud to be the largest farmer-owned, vertically integrated hemp food manufacturer in North America. Manitoba Harvest contracts thousands of acres of hemp seed production in Western Canada with dozens of farmers, many of which are company shareholders. The company owns and operates a kosher and USDA certified organic facility and their products are distributed to thousands of stores worldwide and are also sold as bulk ingredients to food and cosmetic manufacturers. Since Manitoba Harvest is an integrated producer they control production from “seed to shelf,” and are therefore able to ensure freshness and quality. For more information, visit www.manitobaharvest.com or call 1-800-665-HEMP.
Study: U.S. Hemp Ban Hurts Environment, Economy
Los Angeles (March 13, 2008)
Hemp is cheaper, more environmentally-friendly than crops now used to make car parts, jeans
Los Angeles (March 13, 2008) - With oil hitting $110 a barrel and gas prices creeping towards $4 a gallon, the federal government continues to prohibit U.S. farmers from growing hemp, which could be used to efficiently produce biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol.
Hemp is also a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly substitute for polyester, cotton, fiberglass and concrete, according to a new Reason Foundation study that examines hemp's potential uses and the ways other countries are benefitting from it. Industrial hemp production is banned in the U.S. as an archaic consequence of the war on drugs.
"There are numerous environmental advantages to hemp," said Skaidra Smith-Heisters, a policy analyst at Reason Foundation and author of the report. "Hemp often requires less energy to manufacture into products. It is less toxic to process. And it is easier to recycle and more biodegradable than most competing crops and products. Unfortunately, we won't realize the full economic and environmental benefits of hemp until the crop is legal in the United States."
The Reason Foundation study reveals that polyester fiber manufacturing requires six times the energy needed to grow hemp. And cotton is one of the most "water- and pesticide-intensive crops in the world." Hemp's naturally higher resistance to weeds and pests means it requires dramatically fewer pesticides than cotton.
Not only has the government banned hemp production in the U.S., it is also directly subsidizing other crops that the study shows to be "environmentally inferior." Corn farmers received $51 billion in subsidies between 1995 and 2005; wheat farmers were given $21 billion; cotton farmers fleeced taxpayers for $15 billion; and tobacco farmers were handed $530 million in taxpayer-funded subsidies.
The Reason study says the Drug Enforcement Administration's inability to distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana is irrational and ignores scientific fact. The report states, "Marijuana cultivated for drug value contains between 3 and 10 percent of the active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Industrial hemp typically contains 0.3 percent or less of this active ingredient-as a result, it has no value as a drug."
Full Report Online:
The full study, Illegally Green: Environmental Costs of Hemp Prohibition, is available online at: www.reason.org/ps367.pdf. A summary of the report is here: www.reason.org/ps367polsum.pdf.
About Reason Foundation:
Reason Foundation is a nonprofit think tank dedicated to advancing free minds and free markets. Reason Foundation produces respected public policy research on a variety of issues and publishes the critically acclaimed monthly magazine, Reason. For more information, please visit www.reason.org.
Contact: Skaidra Smith-Heisters, Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation, (707) 569-9279
Chris Mitchell, DirectorEating Right: The New Super Foods
Posted on: Thursday, 6 March 2008, 12:00 CST
By Hirsch, Julia
EATING RIGHT
High Energy Organics Hit the Shelves!
We are a fast-paced nation of convenience, always searching for a quick energy boost through a cup of coffee, energy bar or fast- acting energy drink. And the latest trend is all-natural "super- foods." Zach Adelman, vice-president of Nativas Naturals, says the new world of highenergy organics is experiencing an "extreme" growth spurt
The "Happy Berry"
Adelman's company has developed a new line of snack mixes called "Trail Power," which prominently feature the antioxidant-rich Goji berry, which has its origins in traditional Chinese medicine. The tiny, dried berries are sweet with a zing, like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry. A good source of protein and fiber, the berry is also credited with curbing appetite and boosting energy and well-being, earning the nickname, "the happy berry."
"It's the berry of the month," says David Muckle, manager and buyer for natural foods market It's Only Natural. "It wouldn't surprise me if you started seeing Goji berries in your cereal, like flax." The berry is most convenient in its dried form, where it can be combined in a trail mix or stirred in yogurt or oatmeal. And Nativas Naturals' latest development is freeze-dried Goji powder, which can be mixed in water or added to smoothies.
Adelman stresses the importance of consumer education. "I only work with the whole berry that is certified organic," Adelman says, "That's where all the nutrients are present."
Challenging Coffee
Yerba mate (pronounced mottee), a South American "health tonic," is a new alternative to the morning cup of coffee or afternoon energy drink. Yerba mate drinks "give the kick without the crash," says David Karr, vice president of Guayaki, a fair trade company. Mate enthusiasts say that the tea's caffeine is balanced by the plant's natural stimulants and nutritional content. In addition to boosting energy, yerba mate is purported to strengthen the immune systern, relieve allergies and aid in weight control and elimination. The brewed leaves contain theobromine (also found in cocoa), the alkaloid responsible for mood elevation.
"The current research on the potential benefits of mate is very promising," says Yale-New Haven Hospital nutritionist Lisa Tartamella Kimmel. "But further research is still warranted to better identify the components that are believed to be therapeutic agents." Many studies have tentatively linked yerba mate consumption with cancer prevention.
Versions of brewed mate in the U.S. include teas, lattes, coffee blends and energy drinks. The drink has an earthy flavor. Although the plain tea may be an acquired taste, companies like Guayaki make flavored versions of unsweetened tea, sweet latte mix and energy drinks with a hint of cane juice to suit the American palate.
The beverages are taking hold. Karr reports that his products are now sold at Safeway, Wegmans and 7-11 and brewed at coffee chains across the West Coast. The East Coast isn't fer behind, offering yerba mate products in most natural foods stores and Earth- conscious coffee shops.
As with many dietary supplements, consumers should be cautious. Mate does contain caffeine, which is a known stimulant, but other medical claims are largely speculative and are not government regulated. "Always talk with your doctor or health-care provider before taking any of these supplements," says Rimmel, "Just because something is natural doesn't mean that it won't interact with your medication."
Hemp: No Longer Taboo
Hemp, a once-controversial fiber used to make clothing, is making its way into the market as a new source of protein in the form of powders, shelled seeds, milk, butter and oil. With a pleasant, nutty flavor, hemp producte are easily integrated into the American diet. Muckle says people purchase hemp as "an alternative to soy or dairy protein."
Hemp food products contain undetectable levels of THC (the mind- altering chemical found in marijuana), and have no hallucinogenic effects. Hemp does not contain high levels of all nine essential amino acids, but the plant includes several vital proteins that aid in early development, proper enzyme formation and metabolism for exercising muscle. Esther Blum, registered dietician and certified holistic nutritionist, suggests that hemp "can be part of a diet that contains fish and lean proteins. I don't rely on plant proteins as a full energy source because they are not complete."
And with its high protein content (34.6 percent protein, comparable to soy) hemp seed is a source of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. These "good fete," touted for promoting cardiovascular health, account for nearly half of the hemp seed. Studies have shown that the proper balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fetty acids may also delay or reduce the effects of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. And hemp seed contains the "super omega-6" gamma linolenic acid, which has been found to be proactive in treating some cancers.
"Omega-3s are definitely useful in preventing cardiovascular disease, depression, neurological disease, skin problems, eczema, acne and psoriasis, and it's a natural anit-inflammatory that can be useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis," says Blum. "But to get omega-3 from a protein plant source is far less efficient than eating a piece offish or fish oils."
To maximize nutritional benefit Blum recommends hemp seeds, due to the high fiber content 'You can grind the seeds in a coffee grinder just like flax seed," Blum says, "and then mix the powder into "yogurt oatmeal or smoothies."
When it comes to energy and nutrition, it seems that convenience is key. These new super foods are gaining attention not only for their nutritional content, but also for the smooth integration into our grab-and-go lifestyle.
CONTACTS: Guayaki, (888)4829254, www.guayaki.com; International Information on Dietary Supplements, http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ ibids/index/.php; Manitoba Harvest, (800)6654367, www.manitobaharvest.com; Navitas Naturals, (888) 645-4282, www.navitasnaturals.com; Yerba Mate Association of the Americas, www.yerba-mateassociation.org.
JULIA HIRSCH is a Vassar student and former E intern.
of Communications, Reason Foundation, (310) 367-6109
