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By Brian Houlihan | HempToday – After medical cannabis reforms in Portugal were announced, fears over the future of the hemp industry have emerged. There are now serious concerns that farmers will not be allowed to sow crops in 2019. Humberto Nogueira, a hemp advocate and consultant in Portugal told HempToday.

In July of this year it was announced that medical cannabis would be made available in limited circumstances. This move has the potential to impact the hemp industry negatively, according to Nogueira. “That is because hemp cannabidiol seems to act as a disruptive element in terms of laws,” Nogueira said, adding that new laws “are made by government departments that don’t know enough about cannabis yet.”

Potential conflict

According to Nogueira, because medical companies can now grow THC- and CBD-rich cannabis varieties, this means there’s a potential conflict with hemp derived CBD. As the DGAV (the government department that controls hemp cultivation procedures in Portugal) is currently reviewing the matter with other governmental departments, it means the 2019 growing season is in limbo.

“Until further notice, this situation doesn’t allow winter cultivars and trials for current and new hemp farmers, plus the fact that without official procedures farmers and investors can’t plan accurately for the 2019 season,” said Nogueira of what he describes as confusion and misinformation at a government level.

Nogueria also said there are rumors of future hemp regulations which would allow growing for fiber only, forcing farmers to “watch their flowers to rot in the field.” That would put Portugal at a serious disadvantage in relation to other EU countries; lower profits for farmers would make growing the crop less attractive, Nogueira said.

Recent government announcements to consider reforming cannabis laws has led to an increased interest in growing hemp on the Bahamian islands and government officials appear warm to the idea. Michael Pintard, the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources for the Bahamas said recently that he has received a number of proposals relating to hemp production.

In July 2018 the government announced it was considering plans to decriminalize the personal use of cannabis and to allow the medicinal use of the plant. The plans are based on a report issued by the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana. The commission presented its findings and recommendations into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding cannabis use in the Caribbean. The report also encouraged the development of the hemp industry in the region.

Three serious contenders

In August, Pintard first revealed that the government was receiving submissions to grow hemp but stated it wasn’t in a position to approve any request. He said late last month the government is continuing to receive submissions and that it had at least three he considers serious proposals.

However, the acceptance of these proposals is subject to wider cannabis reforms being enacted in the Bahamas. But the government appears to be preparing for hemp production becoming a reality and hopes to assist farmers when the time arrives.

CBD designated as legal

While the government is still mulling plans to reform its cannabis and hemp laws, it recently clarified that CBD products are legal. Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands was asked about the legality of CBD by a media outlet after its reporters noticed a pharmacy was selling hair products containing CBD. Sands said the products were not illegal once an import license for the product had been secured.

By Brian Houlihan | HempToday – A group of cannabis investors who recently visited Malawi is lobbying the government to embrace hemp. South Africa-based Canadian cannabis investor Graham Macintosh is among those encouraging politicians to allow investors to grow and buy hemp from the country.

Macintosh, of Green Quest Farmaceuticals, told local media that his company is seeking 50,000 hectares to grow hemp in South Africa. He believes Malawi can easily switch from tobacco to hemp growing. Tobacco was once a cash crop in Malawi but profits have declined in recent years and many farmers are seeking alternatives.

‘Explore the crop’s potential’

In September 2015 the British High Commissioner to Malawi Michael Nevin also suggested the country look to hemp as an alternative to the declining tobacco industry. “I hope outlining the UK experience helps the debate to move on to how Malawi could also explore the crop’s potential,” Nevin said. “The industrial and marijuana varieties are different, with only one offering a legitimate market for Malawi to exploit.”

One media estimate suggests that one kilogram of industrial hemp fetches about K32,000 ($44) on the market and that there is a potential direct annual benefit to Malawians in excess of K3 billion (around $1.4 million) on 16.5 hectares.

Not laughing now

In May 2015, Boniface Kadzamira proposed the idea of legalising industrial hemp in Malawian parliament. While laughed at during his initial suggestion, by June 2016 the government was accepting his calls to legalize hemp in the country.**** Speaking recently in support of Macintosh’s calls for regulation, Kadzamira said the government should quickly draw up guidelines to attract more hemp investors.

The Indian Industrial Hemp Association (IIHA) has big plans as it recently announced an investment of Rs 1,100 crores (about $150 million) for hemp cultivation in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, according to IIHA President Rohit Sharma.

The money is coming from private investors Sharma, Chandra Prakash Shah and Nimit Kasliwa, who are joining with Indian corporate groups that Shah said will be named in due course.

IIHA this past summer received a license to grow industrial hemp on a pilot basis in Uttarakand in the first licensed hemp grow in the country since 1958. The group is a consortium of associations, leading firms, researchers other institutions who interface with government agencies and map out conditions conducive to a thriving Indian hemp industry. IIHA’s network embraces a wide range of governmental ministries and authorities who are backing its efforts.

Investment in growing, research

Sharma said the investment will go for cultivation, research and other initiatives to help advance the industry – with a focus on sustainable development that will boost the fortunes of farmers, and breathe new life into struggling local economies.

“We are opening the dialogue to contract with the farmers, lease their land and their labor, and help them survive better,” Sharma told HempToday. The investment from IIHA in industrial hemp cultivation will not only propel economic growth but also give farmers a great opportunity to live sustainable lives, he said.

The newly formed British Hemp Association (BHA) is hoping to advance the fledgling hemp industry in the UK by working with stakeholders to knock down all barriers to industry growth. The BHA has set an inaugural public meeting Nov. 15 in London.

“With political changes happening so fast with cannabis, I saw that there was a need for a UK association that nurtured, connected and protected UK hemp,” Rebekah Shaman, the group’s chairperson, said of the BHA initiative. The Association was formally created earlier this year following a meeting of stakeholders in 2017 that gathered funding and partners.

Lobbying effort needed

“With Brexit, we are no longer tied to EU regulations and law, which means the UK could become a major international player in the hemp market,” Shaman, told HempToday.

It will take strong lobbying to abolish the need for a license from the government to cultivate hemp – the biggest industry barrier, according to Shaman. Hemp can only be grown in the UK with a Home Office license, making it the jurisdiction of homeland security and not agriculture, she said. The BHA’s ultimate goal is to clear the way so that the whole hemp plant can be processed from flower to root, Shaman told HT.

Potential to thrive

“By removing all the political restrictions we have the potential to build a thriving industry while cleaning up our environmental mess,” said Shaman, who first got interested in industrial hemp for it’s potential as an environmental cleanup solution. She later formed a company, Hemp Global Solutions, focused on that application.

The hemp industry in southern Australia continues to grow steadily. Aided by recent law changes, promising research has been conducted and more farmers are interested in growing hemp in the region. Similarly, in April 2017 hemp food for humans was made legal in Australia, and this has boosted the industry across the continent.

In the state of South Australia, the Industrial Hemp Act 2017 was passed by the State Parliament in April 2017. It followed on from similar hemp legislation and regulatory frameworks being established in Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.

In July 2017 a public consultation process occurred to determine the regulations governing the cultivation and processing of hemp in the region.* Subsequently, the Industrial Hemp Regulations 2017 came into effect in November 2017.

SA trials are continuing

Members of South Australia’s new hemp industry recently met for the first time to discuss preliminary results from research trials. These had been conducted to determine how five hemp varieties performed on sandy soil and clay soil. The varieties included seed from China, Pakistan, and Europe, as well as an Australian bred variety. Aspects such as sowing rates, growing periods and other factors were evaluated. Field trips were also held for the public to learn more in February of this year.

The research was led by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) who had previously undertaken hemp trials in 1995. SARDI is due to conduct a new trial of six varieties beginning this month. Other recent hemp research from South Australia includes the assessment of grain from 20 seed varieties for food use by the University of Adelaide.

By Brian Houlihan | HempToday – Obelisk Farm in eastern Latvia is undertaking plans to add a hemp museum to its small hemp farming and education complex.

“Hemp has long been part of Latvian history and culture,” said Obelisk co-founder Debora Paulino. She and her husband Andris Visnevskis founded Obelisk Farm in 2013

“The idea is relatively new. We knew we wanted to make something in the library barn, apart from having books sitting there, but we didn’t have a specific idea,” said Paulino. “We got inspired by the Dublin Hemp Museum’s work.”

The couple say the museum will not only showcase the history of hemp in Latvia but also highlight hemp culture from other countries.

Family farm

Paulino, Visnevskis and their two children live on the 2.5-hectare farm complex, which includes an old farmhouse and several stone and wooden outbuildings. Alongside selling a number of food products, Obelisk Farm also offers educational tours and hosts a series of annual hemp workshops.

A registered 32-year-old hemp farmer in Pelendri, Cyprus was among those arrested recently on cannabis charges. Cypriot media are reporting the farmer and another suspect was charged with a number of offenses at a remand hearing after two properties used to cultivate hemp under license were raided.

It’s reported that more than 120 plants were located by the authorities following days of surveillance. According to police, the THC levels in 18 samples taken were between 2.3 percent to 5.66 percent, rendering them illegal. In court, the lawyer for the farmer argued that the arrest was void as under the law for hemp cultivation, only officials from the Department of Agriculture may collect samples and not the police.

Police also found around 100kg of cannabis plant material in three separate storage facilities on the premises. The hemp farmer claimed in court it was material from a previous defective crop which was never sold.

Worker also arrested

A second suspect, a 36-year-old worker, was also charged in relation to the case. His lawyer said his client had been working on and off at the property and had no relation to the case. Police say they are seeking a third suspect, whom they believe is an associate of the hemp farmer. The drug squad said it had reason to believe the third man was treating the plants with chemicals to increase their THC yield.

The suspects face charges including, conspiracy to commit a crime, illegal cultivation of a Class B drug, illegal possession of narcotics, and possession with intent to sell a Class B drug. The two men were remanded in custody by Limassol District Court for six days, although the police had initially sought eight days.

Vice Minister of Agriculture Yerlan Nysanbayev has added his voice to the growing list of prominent Kazakhstanian figures calling for hemp production to be embraced. Nysanbayev was recently speaking at an interdepartmental commission meeting on legislative activities as the state is currently drafting a number of laws in relation to conservation and plant protection.

“We are talking about all types of plants, tree crops, bushes – everything should be protected by the law,” he told attendees.

Of the plant world

“Hemp should be considered as one of the plants of the plant world. It cannot be considered as a negative plant. Therefore, this plant species should be preserved, because it is one of the links in the long chain of biodiversity. The loss of any plant or animal world, I think, is fraught with consequences for humans and ecosystems,” said Nysanbayev.

Kazakhstan authorities have long battled with the wild cannabis crops which grow freely in the Chui Valley, a tourist attraction for cannabis enthusiasts. However, in recent years while still seeking to eradicate the, the state has taken steps to boost hemp production.

Crops have been tested

KazHemp, perhaps the only hemp company in Kazakhstan, planted test crops in four regions of the country in 2016 to determine which soil provided the best yield. Their research concluded the optimal conditions exist in The Almaty region.

American blues & jazz artist Hazel Miller will perform during a concert in support of Haiti’s St Alphonse de Cadet, a primary school in Trou ChouChou, Haiti. Funds raised from the concert will go to build toilets from hempcrete for the school; hurricanes in 2016 devastated the previous facilities.

The concert, at the Denver Field House in Colorado, USA, starts at 6 p.m. Nov. 6, Election Day in the United States. All proceeds will go to the initiative in Trou ChouChou.

St Alphonse de Cadet was founded in 2011 after Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, by Tamara Cantave, Founder, Help Hayti, and Alicia Fall, who heads the U.S.-based Her Many Voices Foundation. The school has about 185 students, ranging in age from 3-22 yrs. In addition to Help Hayti, the Foundation works in partnership with Haiti’s Wynne Farm Nature Reserve, and entrepreneur Eric McKee, Wnder LLC, also of the U.S..

Benefit headliner Hazel Miller has opened for Herbie Hancock, Bob Weir, Buddy Guy, Mel Torme, James Taylor and Julian Lennon among others. She also has performed for United States soldiers overseas and starred in The Vagina Monologues, the hit off-broadway show in the USA

The Farm Products Council of Canada (FPCC) said it will host a public hearing (link) as part of an inquiry into the merits of establishing a hemp promotion and research agency.

The FPCC is expected to announce a hearing date Nov. 23. Once a date is set the Council will meet to determine if the request for a hemp research agency is valid. Their decision is based on several factors including the health of the industry, interest within the sector and the economic viability of the project. The Council will then submit its recommendations to the Canadian Agriculture Minister for consideration.

CHP, CHTA work together

The calls for the research agency were part of a proposal (link) submitted in October 2017 by the Canadian Hemp Producers, with support from the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA). The creation of the agency “is an important step forward in the development of the Canadian industrial hemp industry,” the groups said. It’s proposed the agency would be funded by levies applied to industrial hemp products marketed domestically, as well as on hemp products imported into Canada.

This idea of a research agency was first raised at the CHTA annual general meeting in 2012 after a motion was passed by the membership. In 2015 hemp producers across Canada were consulted on the idea and subsequent meetings occurred in 2016. Approximately 20% of Canada’s hemp producers attended these meetings and 95% of attendees and other relevant parties polled were in support of the establishment of an agency. All this led to submitting their proposal last year.

Exploring all applications

It’s proposed the Canadian Industrial Hemp Promotion and Research Agency (PRA) will be the focal point to lead research and promotional activities on behalf of producers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. The research will be focused primarily on food, animal feed, fibre, and natural health products, the latter includes natural health remedies, cosmetics, personal care products, extracts and supplements. It’s also suggested such a body is the best to manage the hemp industry as it grows nationally.

By Brian Houlihan | HempToday — Declan Darcy has been working with hemp for years but only took his first entrepreneurial steps 12 months ago with the establishment of the Hemp Kitchen.

The kitchen is located below The Hemp Company (THC) on Capel Street in Ireland’s capital city of Dublin. THC is a family-owned business established by industry veteran James (Jim) McDonald in 1999 and Darcy and McDonald are partners on this latest venture. Co-located with the Hemp Kitchen is the Dublin Hemp Museum, which McDonald opened over 5 years ago.

Interest in hemp building

Before opening the kitchen, Darcy worked as a carpenter for a number of years and his early experiences in the Irish hemp industry were working as a hemp builder.

“In 2013 Jim asked me to build an extension out of hempcrete for his house in Thurles Co. Tipperary,” Darcy said. At the time, Darcy knew little about building with hemp but was keen to be part of the project. This led him to engage in widespread research on the topic during which he read the landmark book “Building with Hemp” by legendary natural builder Steve Allin of the International Hemp Building Association (IHBA).

Leading global industry players HempConsult GmbH and Hempro International GmbH & Co. KG, both of Germany, have signed on as sponsors of the inaugural Asian Hemp Summit set next Feb. 1-2 in Kathmandu, Nepal. HempToday, Shah Hemp Inno-Ventures (SHIV) and Hempoint, Czech Republic, are organizers of the Summit.

“We’re happy to see this initiative and keen to support it,” said Daniel Kruse, CEO, whose companies have been active on the Asian continent for more than 15 years. “There’s never been a more exciting moment than now in Asia, as the pieces come together that can shape the region into the world’s leading hemp producer,” said Kruse, who will address the Summit.

Speaker slots still available

The Summit, to be held at Gokarna Forest Resort in Kathmandu, already has a roster of 14 international presenters. Applications are still being taken to fill the few remaining places on the schedule, organizers said.

“These sponsor partnerships reflect a continuing commitment to hemp across the continent on the part of Hempro Int. and HempConsult,” said Dhiraj K. Shah, CEO at Kathmandu-based SHIV. In addition to their long-term involvement in Asia, the two German companies recently supported SHIV’s work creating shelter for displaced, disadvantaged Nepalese who lost their homes after the 2014 earthquake in the country. Hempro Int. and HempConsult purchased a house for a family that was constructed by SHIV of hempcrete.

The Founder of the Her Many Voices Foundation (HMVF), Alicia Fall is a TEDx Talk presenter (The Art of Igniting Action), educator, performing artist and public speaker on humanitarian issues for more than 30 years. Fall’s Foundation spearheads a pioneering hemp project that is developing a sustainable crop and building product for Haiti’s besieged yet resilient population.

HempToday: How would you describe things in Haiti at the moment, post the hurricanes of 2016 and the 2010 quake?
Alicia Fall: I get updates almost daily from our Projects Coordinator in Haiti. What I can say is the people continue to have an indomitable spirit of hope in the face of natural and unnatural disasters. That’s the positive. The reality is that since the quake and post 2016’s three hurricanes, there’s an unrest in the streets. People are frustrated and rightfully so. They’re sick of lip service given to them on promises of life improvements: Promises of work, promises of food security, medical attention and education for their children.

University students are tired of repeatedly having doors locked because of violent protests in the streets. They’ve been promised a lot, yet in 8 years little has changed for the majority of Haitians. One disaster after another and like in most countries, political divisiveness, have taken their toll on a very strong and resilient people.

What we have personally experienced is more tension in the air, more violence in the streets, more gang activity. When people become desperate the climate changes. And desperate actions are taken when the feeling is no action is taken by authorities to improve their circumstance. At the end of the day women still need to feed their children, men still need work and people still need more than hope. They need practical responses. That’s where Her Many Voices Foundation comes in. We provide practical education for women, children and men in Haiti in the belief that it will improve, at least, their individual worlds. Then they can pass that knowledge on to the next. It takes a collective effort to make big change. We are excited to be leading the way to a more sustainable future through our hemp project.

HT: What’s the role of hemp in meeting the goals of the Her Many Voices Foundation?
AF: HMVF is founded on a profound respect for importance of Mother Earth. Like most mothers she gives us everything we need and asks little in return. Our mission is to move our passions to purpose for the betterment of women, children and our Mother Earth.

While hemp and marijuana may be close relatives, most hemp-derived CBD retailers don’t sell the products alongside medical cannabis. But as state laws around cannabidiol continue to change, stand-alone CBD stores may become a relic of the past. According to estimates from Hemp Industry Daily in the 2018 Hemp & CBD Industry Factbook, CBD sales in the U.S. […]

Chart: The days of CBD-only stores may be numbered is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Canadian Industrial Hemp Corporation (CIHC) has been awarded a CA$100,000 (US$ 77,000) grant from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) to advance development and commercialization of a system that will predict the engineering properties of custom bio-pellet formulations.

The artificial intelligence (AI) system is designed to allow thermoplastic producers to easily identify bio-pellet formulations which are structurally and aesthetically suitable to replace their existing 100% polymer feedstock, said CIHC Founder & CEO Robert Ziner.

CAP and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) work with provincial and territorial governments in establishing policy and program priorities for the development of Canada’s farming value chain.

Potential boon for farmers

“We are grateful for this opportunity to advance the utilization of hemp fiber and encourage the growth of more hemp across Canada,” Ziner said of the grant. “With our innovative business model in place, growing hemp will prove to be one of the most attractive economic crop opportunities for farmers across North America.”

Toronto-based CIHC is looking to raise CA$46 million (US$ 35 million) in the USA to build a fully operational AI driven, advanced hemp stalk processing and optimization system.

The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, is considering selling CBD products in Canada, a development that comes just days before the country’s recreational marijuana markets open. But Walmart says it isn’t ready to start selling cannabidiol just yet. “As we would for any new industry, Walmart Canada has done some preliminary fact-finding on this issue,” company […]

Walmart explores selling CBD in Canada is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Weekly Deal Watch: Cannabis investor demand shifts from Canada to US is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Moroccan cooperative Adrar Nouh is among a group of four organizations whose joint hemp-based project aimed at safeguarding the environment and culture of the Moroccan High Rif was selected to participate in the Solar Decathlon Africa 2019 competition.

Adrar Nouh worked with a team of Moroccan architectural students and international partners in the design of a prototype hemp house of 90 sq. meters.

The project, named SUMINPLANT, incorporates a variety of ancestral hemp from the Rif, transforming it into new aggregates via a process developed by Adrar Nouh co-founder Monika Brümmer through her doctoral thesis at the University of Granada.

Brümmer, owner of Granada-based Cannabric, a maker of load-bearing hemp-clay blocks and bricks, will talk about the project during this year’s International Hemp Building Symposium in Belgium Oct. 16-17 in Brussels.

The IHBA Symposium, which is hosted in a different part of the world each year, is led by veteran hemp builder Steve Allin, the Association’s Director. This year’s host and co-organizer is Wolf Jordan & Co, which is based in Brussels and Kalmthout, Belgium.

Poland’s government-owned petroleum firm Grupa Lotos said it has entered an agreement with the state-owned Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants (IWNiRZ) to produce bio-ethanol from hemp.

“We have the opportunity to produce second generation fuels from Polish waste plants,” said Małgorzata Zimniewska of the Institute. “The development of bioethanol, higher-generation biofuels from cannabis biomass is in the interest of both the Institute and Poland,” she said. But above all it is in the interest of Polish farmers, who are quickly taking to hemp farming as fields rapidly expand, she added.

The parties said the effort, in part, is a response to European Union directives regarding renewable energy sources.

The Lotos-IWNiRZ agreement comes after Robert Sobków, who served as director of IWNiRZ for the past year, recently moved over to become vice-president for financial affairs at Lotos, one of the ten largest fuel companies in Central Europe by sales value.

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