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Mention the word hemp and chances are good that someone will snicker about marijuana.
But hemp's lingering stigma – especially south of the border – courtesy of its illegal and potent cousin, may benefit Canada's small but fast-growing hemp industry.
Hemp cultivation is not federally approved in the United States, but Canadian-grown hemp products are allowed across the border. The United States is Canada's main market for hemp products.
"It's an excellent situation for us to really establish well this industry before it becomes legalized in the U.S.," said Kim Shukla, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance.
At the group's national convention in Edmonton this week, hemp growers, processors, manufacturers, scientists and even fashion designers are meeting to talk about ways of growing the sector.
Industrial hemp is a fast-growing, leafy plant with a strong fibrous stalk. Although hemp belongs to the cannabis plant family, it contains very low levels of the ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that makes people high.
In Canada, hemp is gaining credibility as a crop whose fibres can be used to make textiles, paper, clothes, auto parts and other composite manufacturing materials. Its seeds, full of Omega 3 and 6, are used to make health foods like hemp milk, breakfast cereal and salad topping. Hemp oil is used in food processing, as salad oil and a skin treatment.
"We're a legitimate crop that has great economic return to the Canadian farmer and everyone's starting to pay attention," Shukla said.
The federal government announced Monday a total of $95,000 in funding to boost Canada's hemp industry. The money will help test and evaluate the best hemp varieties to grow by region and also promote Canadian hemp in international markets.
"Investments like these will help Canadian farmers tap into growing demand for hemp, diversify their businesses and capture new revenue sources," said Wetaskiwin MP Blaine Calkins.
The funding recognizes the industry's growth potential, Shukla said.
There were 55,000 acres licensed for hemp cultivation in Canada in 2012 and about 200 growers across the country. Hemp production is forecast to nearly double by 2015 to 100,000 acres. That will add about $100 million to the Canadian economy. Saskatchewan is the nation's leading hemp producer, followed by Alberta and Manitoba.
In Alberta, researchers are looking at ways hemp can be used in industry. Wade Chute, a chemical engineer with Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures, is leading a team researching how hemp can be used in the province's six pulp mills and one newsprint plant.
"We're trying to show them some alternative fibres that they can work into their own product mix to add some value and enhance some attributes," Chute said.
Some Alberta-produced pulp is used in the manufacture of chemicals, but wood fibres produce lesser-quality pulp than feedstock such as cotton, he said.
"Industrial hemp seems to have the attributes that make it very competitive with cotton and it presents an alternative fibre for our existing industry to try."
John Wolodko, manager of the advanced materials portfolio at Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures, is researching how to use hemp fibres in manufacturing.
Among the companies the agency is assisting are a Calgary startup using hemp fibre to strengthen plastic parts for electric cars and a Canmore company experimenting with hemp-reinforced skateboards. Hemp could replace fibreglass as a way to make materials stronger, Wolodko said.
"It has good strength properties, it's natural, it's environmentally friendly and it's actually lighter-weight than glass fibre," Wolodko said.
But before such products can go from the lab to the marketplace, an adequate hemp supply chain of manufacturers, processors and farmers must be developed, he said.
"It's slowly happening," Wolodko said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: calgaryherald.com
Author: Bill Mah
Contact: Contact Us - Calgary Herald
Website: Canada
But hemp's lingering stigma – especially south of the border – courtesy of its illegal and potent cousin, may benefit Canada's small but fast-growing hemp industry.
Hemp cultivation is not federally approved in the United States, but Canadian-grown hemp products are allowed across the border. The United States is Canada's main market for hemp products.
"It's an excellent situation for us to really establish well this industry before it becomes legalized in the U.S.," said Kim Shukla, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance.
At the group's national convention in Edmonton this week, hemp growers, processors, manufacturers, scientists and even fashion designers are meeting to talk about ways of growing the sector.
Industrial hemp is a fast-growing, leafy plant with a strong fibrous stalk. Although hemp belongs to the cannabis plant family, it contains very low levels of the ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that makes people high.
In Canada, hemp is gaining credibility as a crop whose fibres can be used to make textiles, paper, clothes, auto parts and other composite manufacturing materials. Its seeds, full of Omega 3 and 6, are used to make health foods like hemp milk, breakfast cereal and salad topping. Hemp oil is used in food processing, as salad oil and a skin treatment.
"We're a legitimate crop that has great economic return to the Canadian farmer and everyone's starting to pay attention," Shukla said.
The federal government announced Monday a total of $95,000 in funding to boost Canada's hemp industry. The money will help test and evaluate the best hemp varieties to grow by region and also promote Canadian hemp in international markets.
"Investments like these will help Canadian farmers tap into growing demand for hemp, diversify their businesses and capture new revenue sources," said Wetaskiwin MP Blaine Calkins.
The funding recognizes the industry's growth potential, Shukla said.
There were 55,000 acres licensed for hemp cultivation in Canada in 2012 and about 200 growers across the country. Hemp production is forecast to nearly double by 2015 to 100,000 acres. That will add about $100 million to the Canadian economy. Saskatchewan is the nation's leading hemp producer, followed by Alberta and Manitoba.
In Alberta, researchers are looking at ways hemp can be used in industry. Wade Chute, a chemical engineer with Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures, is leading a team researching how hemp can be used in the province's six pulp mills and one newsprint plant.
"We're trying to show them some alternative fibres that they can work into their own product mix to add some value and enhance some attributes," Chute said.
Some Alberta-produced pulp is used in the manufacture of chemicals, but wood fibres produce lesser-quality pulp than feedstock such as cotton, he said.
"Industrial hemp seems to have the attributes that make it very competitive with cotton and it presents an alternative fibre for our existing industry to try."
John Wolodko, manager of the advanced materials portfolio at Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures, is researching how to use hemp fibres in manufacturing.
Among the companies the agency is assisting are a Calgary startup using hemp fibre to strengthen plastic parts for electric cars and a Canmore company experimenting with hemp-reinforced skateboards. Hemp could replace fibreglass as a way to make materials stronger, Wolodko said.
"It has good strength properties, it's natural, it's environmentally friendly and it's actually lighter-weight than glass fibre," Wolodko said.
But before such products can go from the lab to the marketplace, an adequate hemp supply chain of manufacturers, processors and farmers must be developed, he said.
"It's slowly happening," Wolodko said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: calgaryherald.com
Author: Bill Mah
Contact: Contact Us - Calgary Herald
Website: Canada
