Peter Clark April 14, 2011
Renfrew County hemp farmers looking ahead
NDP hosts farmers roundtable
Gaining knowledge. From left, Ian McGregor, Jennifer Doelman and Reuben Stone spoke at the April 2 conference in Cobden. Peter Clark, Renfrew Mercury
Reuben Stone, Jennifer Doelman and Ian McGregor spoke to the gathering of 25-30 people in the event hosted by Eric Burton of the New Democratic Party.
The day was an opportunity to get points of view out on the table, and to see what the provincial and federal governments can do to support the future of agriculture in Renfrew County, Burton said.
“We have some dynamic producers in Renfrew County,” co-chair Bob Dobson said before introducing the three guest speakers.
Stone Farms – Valley Bio
Reuben Stone of Stone Farms near Cobden and CEO of Valley Bio is a fourth-generation farmer. His dad was a beef father and his grandfather dealt in dairy before him. Rueben Stone focuses on industrial hemp and said hemp is a growing industry. Stone Farms is Eastern Canada’s leading hemp producer, he pointed out. “We grow two per cent of the Canadian market,” Stone said, adding they also produce about one per cent of the entire world’s production of hemp.
To get a licence to grow hemp, you go through Health Canada, Stone noted. It is a free process, but you must have a criminal record check and proof of certified seed. Stone said their are many advantages to the crop, which includes rare to encounter insect or wildlife damage, it’s an effective break crop to disturb the life cycles of pathogens, it generally will leave the field clean and there is no need for regular herbicides or pesticides. It can help farmers increase efficiency and profits, Stone added. It provides work and earnings for the combine and other machinery between cereal and soybean crops.
“Hemp is easy to transport. It’s a high-value crop,” Stone said. “I can ship hemp from here to Europe cheaper than I can send a load of corn to Prescott.” He said there is another advantage. Because of regulations, “Americans can’t grow it. They can buy it, but they can’t grow it,” he said. Stone adds, for someone still young in the business, hemp is the way to go. “Hemp is here to stay. As a young farmer, this is the way I want to participate in the industry. It’s all food products.”
Stone Farms hemp products are grown pesticide free or are fully certified organic.
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