November 3, 2011 – SASKATCHEWAN – Members of Parliament have pledged funding for the Composites Innovation Centre (CIC) to study hemp fibers with the goal of making composites that perform better than fiberglass and plastic.

“Finding new and innovative uses for our flax and hemp will greatly benefit farmers and the economy in Western Canada,” said MP Bruinooge. “This investment will enable farmers to adapt their growth and harvesting regimes to optimize fibre performance, increasing the demand for their crops and resulting in increased profitability.”

The investment through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) is designed to study the sub-molecular structure of hemp fibers.

“This exciting collaboration between the CIC and our world-class Canadian synchrotron facility will provide our local and national biomass industries with a key competitive edge in a growing international marketplace,” says CIC Manager of Product Innovation Simon Potter. “The information we generate with the Canadian Light Source will support the high penetration of agricultural fibers into building materials and composites for automotive and aerospace products.”

“The Canadian Light Source welcomes this opportunity to work with Manitoba’s burgeoning bio-composite sector on a project that will not only benefit Manitoba, but fibre growers throughout Western Canada and manufacturers around the world,” said Jeffrey Cutler, director of industrial science.

The project is being funded under the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). CAAP is a five-year (2009-2014), $163-million initiative that is trying to help the Canadian agricultural sector evolve and stay competitive.

The goal is to help farmers by focusing on creating sustainable jobs and strengthening the determined community. The group is looking to build the Canadian economy for the future generations.

Because the previous growth of the Canadian hemp industry has been successful, it makes sense that they are now moving to invest in this fruitful and diverse crop. It only makes sense that US farmers, like North Dakotan and Republican State Legislator David Monson in the video above, should be able to take the steps needed to grow hemp in the states.

Monson says, “If they can do it in Canada, England and Germany and all over the world, we should be able to do it, too.”

With the situation of our economy in crisis, our farmers should be able to take advantage of the expanding arena of hemp. There are so many products to be made and it is such a healthful contribution to the economy. It’s time the United States restores hemp.

By Michael Bachara. Source. For more information, please visit http://www.agr.gc.ca/caap.

September 13, 2011 – By State Senator Mark Leno – California is one step closer to building a successful hemp industry in the Central Valley.

This week the Legislature gave final approval to legislation I introduced that allows California farmers to grow industrial hemp for the legal sale of seed, oil and fiber to manufacturers. Senate Bill 676 creates a four-county pilot program in Imperial, Kern, Kings and San Joaquin, allowing farmers in our state to tap into the nation’s hemp market, which is currently valued at $400 million annually.

Hundreds of consumer products containing hemp are made in California, but the manufacturers of these goods are forced to import hemp seed, oil and fiber from growers in Canada, Europe and China. Family farmers are missing out on a golden opportunity to grow hemp, which can help expand their businesses, create jobs and stimulate the economy. In addition, hemp requires little to no pesticides and herbicides, is a great rotational crop, and grows quickly with less water, making it an ideal commodity for our state.

Hemp has a deep history in the U.S. The Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria crossed the Atlantic with sails made of hemp, and both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington grew hemp, which was legal tender until the early 1800s. Today, industrial hemp is used to manufacture a vast array of foods, clothing, personal care products and building materials. More than 55% of the U.S. companies that create hemp products are based in California.

SB 676 is co-sponsored by Hemp Industries Association and Vote Hemp. It is also supported by the Kern and Kings County Sheriffs, Kings County Board of Supervisors, Imperial County Farm Bureau, California Certified Organic Farmers, California State Grange and numerous labor and business groups.

The bill has one last stop – on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk – before it can become law.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

State Senator Mark Leno represents the 3rd District, which includes Marin, and portions of San Francisco and Sonoma Counties. Senator Leno, along with now California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones was also the recipient of the California Progress Report’s legislature of the year, based on votes by our sites readers (the only time it has been done) in 2009.