If the U.S. hemp industry was a child, it’d be a toddler. That’s a far cry for Canada’s pre-teen industry, but the hemp and CBD industry in both countries are still a long way from full-grown. Kristen Nichols, editor of Hemp Industry Daily, knows the ins and outs of the U.S. hemp industry and says… Read More
At the Pennsylvania Farm Show, New Holland announced a formal partnership with the National Hemp Association (NHA), a non-partisan hemp advocacy group. The partnership, which will operate under the banner “Pushing Progress Together”, plans to accelerate the return of hemp commodity crops on farms across North America. Brett Davis, vice president of New Holland North… Read More
Before being released in Canada, hemp cultivars go through an approval process very different from other crops. Unlike wheat or canola, for example, lines are not required to undergo a certain amount of trialing in Canada before they can be grown here. That’s not to say there aren’t processes in place to vet cultivars before… Read More
Canada’s hemp industry is pushing towards a whole new future, now that regulatory changes have opened up the opportunity to extract more value from the crop. Ted Haney, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, says that the industry was built on one revenue stream, but its long-term viability depends on the ability to… Read More
Canadian-based Endless Sky is looking to become an industrial-scale producer of hemp flower and hemp CBD extracts, controlling the process from seed to shelf, ultimately providing “natural health products free of solvents, pesticides or heavy metals.” “We started in 2018. We initially were in indoor growing, cultivating cannabis,” says CEO Travis George, adding that the… Read More
It’s been 21 years since the hemp industry started in earnest in Canada, and within the last year, there has been a significant shift in research institutions taking a larger interest in the crop. Which is good, because the agronomic knowledge base for this multi-use crop is still quite limited. Jeff Kostiuk, with Hemp Genetics… Read More
What a difference a year makes in the world of hemp. Whether you’re in Canada or in the U.S., hemp acres are significantly up, year-over-year. In Canada, farmers seeded 82,510 acres this year compared to 41,200 in 2018, according to Statistics Canada. Comparatively in the U.S., 128,000 acres were seeded in 2019, according to USDA… Read More
When it comes to growing hemp, one of the more top-of-mind risks for producers is crop establishment — how do I grow this crop, and what on earth do I do when it comes to harvesting it? Jeff Kostuik, director of operations in central Canada and the U.S.for Hemp Genetics International (HGI), says that hemp… Read More
The first project within the protein supercluster was announced on Wednesday. Protein Industries Canada has committed $4 million into the project with industry partners backing it with another $4 million. The project will be led by Calgary-based Botaneco — which researches and produces new lipid and protein products to sell for higher values and open… Read More
Manitoba Harvest, known as FHF Holdings Ltd. in the business world, is about to be purchased for up to $419 million by leading cannabis producer, distributer, researcher, Tilray Inc. The worlds largest hemp food manufacturer was founded just 21-years ago has also become a leader in the natural foods industry. “We are excited about being… Read More
Hemp has often been lumped in with its rather contentious relation, cannabis. While related, the two crops are very different, but the recent legalization of cannabis in Canada is also good news for the hemp industry. Shaun Haney, host of RealAg Radio, recently had a chance to talk with Ted Haney, executive director of the… Read More
On this special Canada’s Outdoor Farm show edition of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson must share the spotlight with RealAgriculture founder Shaun Haney. From dicamba drift reports, to sticky, frost-damaged wheat, to hemp, and on to a hard no on drying down grazing corn, this week’s Word has something for everyone (and, thankfully, Shaun… Read More
Until now, hemp growers in Canada were allowed only to harvest the grain and/or stalk of the plant. In anticipation of the upcoming Cannabis Act set to be implemented in mid-October, Health Canada recently announced a revision to regulations allowing whole-plant harvest of hemp. Why does this matter? Well, although industrial hemp has low levels… Read More
Hemp is often seen as a new crop, and in retrospect, it still is. Only allowed to be grown in Canada since 1998, there haven’t been the decades of research and experience with hemp as with other crops. Jan Slaski, senior researcher with Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures, based in Vegreville Alberta, says that southern… Read More
Who doesn’t want some diversity in the crop rotation? If you’re the kind of farmer who likes to grow smaller acreage crops and lock down contracts with end-users, hemp may be for you. While this towering, leafy plant may be recognizable for its uncanny resemblance to that other crop that shall remain nameless, hemp is… Read More