Reading Time: < 1 minute Australia and New Zealand have approved the sale of foods derived from hemp for human consumption. Hemp in Australia and New Zealand is cultivated under strict licensing arrangements and prior to this approval was only permitted for use as a source of fibre for clothing and building products. “Short-term opportunities for Alberta companies exist for […] Read more
Looking for hemp opportunities down under?
Plant protein supercluster makes cut for federal funding
At the table with artificial intelligence, big data, advanced manufacturing and ocean-based energy, Prairie pulse, oilseed and cereal crops are in for a share of federal support to spur innovation in Canada. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains on Thursday announced Protein Industries Canada (PIC) as one of five “superclusters” which will receive […] Read more
Seminar offers the lowdown on industrial hemp
Cannabis legalization has boosted interest in industrial hemp and should lead to less paperwork, too
Reading Time: < 1 minute The pending legalization of cannabis is boosting interest in growing industrial hemp. And it’s expected it will be easier to grow the crop in 2018 once a review of federal regulation on the use of chaff (leaves and flowers) and the licensing procedure is completed. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is putting on seminars in Vermilion […] Read more
Post-secondary cannabis credentials on offer
Degree and diploma aggies interested in producing commercial cannabis and/or hemp will be able to get college-certified starting next year. Niagara College announced Tuesday it will launch a graduate certificate program in commercial cannabis production in 2018, a program it bills as Canada’s “first post-secondary credential” in the crop’s production. Niagara picked up approval this […] Read more
Unseeded acres create ripple effect in the number of insured acres this summer
Insured barley and pea acres are down, but canola, lentil, and hemp acres went up
Reading Time: 3 minutes Two years of rough weather conditions haven’t been enough to drive producers to increase their crop insurance coverage. “I don’t think there’s a huge change in the overall level of insurance participation. The reasons people participate aren’t always dependent on the weather,” said Jesse Cole, research analyst at Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC). “There could […] Read more
Hemp’s prospects are on the upswing
Growing hemp under irrigation can boost yields by a third or more, and demand appears poised to grow too
Reading Time: 4 minutes You can’t get high with hemp, but your profit margins might get a lift if you choose to add it to your irrigated rotation. And recent changes are making hemp even more attractive in Alberta, including a new hemp-processing facility slated for Nisku and a long-hoped-for easing of regulations by Health Canada. “Up until last […] Read more
Don’t go too far out on a limb when growing niche crops
Reading Time: < 1 minute Planning to plant some of the less common crops such as flax, camelina, or hemp? Then start small, says provincial crop specialist Harry Brook. “Use the first year as a chance to learn the agronomics and particulars of the new crop,” Brook said. Also, it’s “imperative to get a contract first before you grow it.” […] Read more
With demand, deregulation, ‘opportunities abound’ for hemp
CNS Canada — Aggressive contracting in the hemp sector is expected to bump up Canadian acres — another benefit for growers who will experience less red tape this year. “We’ve seen a lot of activity on the contracting side for growers,” said Kim Shukla, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance at Steinbach, Man. […] Read more
Hemp food company planning new plant in Nisku
Hempco Food and Fiber sells oil, seed nut, protein powder, and shells made from hemp seed
Reading Time: < 1 minute Hempco Food and Fiber Inc. says it plans to build a 56,000-square-foot hemp foods-processing facility at Nisku. In a press release, the company said it had obtained a lease for (with an option to purchase) 4.7 acres from Redco Properties. “Hempco is presently producing about 200,000 pounds of hulled hemp seed per month at its […] Read more
Flower growers turn to weed ahead of legalization
Winnipeg | Reuters — Some Canadian flower growers are turning to weed, with the country’s plan to legalize marijuana for recreational use expected to spur a spike in legal sales of the drug. While medical marijuana is already legal in Canada, the Liberal government said in April it will introduce a law in 2017 to […] Read more
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