10 Facts About the History of Hemp

Source: cannabisnowmagazine.com

As hemp steps into the spotlight, more people are asking important questions about exactly what it is and why there’s so much conflict around such a harmless and useful plant. If you’re looking to grow your knowledge about hemp, take a look at some of these facts and spread them far and wide.

1. Hemp cultivation dates back more than 10,000 years

Many civilizations throughout time have grown hemp and utilized the plant for a number of items from food to fiber. The ancient use of hemp has been traced to many countries including China, Egypt, Russia, Greece and Italy.

2. It used to be illegal to not grow hemp

There was once a time in American history when farmers could actually be fined or jailed for not growing hemp. Because it was such a valuable crop in Virginia, the Assembly of Jamestown Colony passed legislation in 1619 making it mandatory for every farmer to grow Indian hempseed.

3. Hemp was hailed as a billion dollar crop before the government banned it

In an article written in 1938, “Popular Mechanics” declared hemp a new cash crop. It was touted as the standard fiber of the world that was easy to grow and poised to replace imported materials and manufactured products.

4. Hemp can restore unhealthy soil

Thanks to its botanical properties, hemp can actually leave soil better off than when it started by rejuvenating the dirt with nutrients and nitrogen. This helps clean up toxins, heavy metals and other pollutants from the ground through a process called phytoremediation.

5. Hemp oil is good for you

For people looking to reduce bad cholesterol levels, neutralize free radicals and improve nervous system function, the abundance of nutrients found in hemp oil can help. It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including magnesium, calcium, vitamin E and carotene. When it comes to oils, hemp oil also has the highest level of polyunsaturated fats (healthy fats) at 80 percent, with flax seed oil coming in second.

6. Many early artists made art on hemp

The word “canvas” is derived from the word cannapaceus, a latin adjective that literally means “made from hemp.” For centuries, painters used hemp canvases from the Renaissance artists to 17th century masters like Van Gogh and Rembrandt.

7. Twenty one states can legally grow hemp

According to agricultural reports, hemp can be grown legally in California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

8. Planes can be made from hemp

Earlier this year, Derek Kesek, the founder of Hempearth, announced that he would produce the very first airplane made almost entirely of hemp that will run on hemp-based biodiesel. Though the project has yet to take flight, many have high hopes about what its successful execution could mean for the future.

9. Annual retail sales for hemp grew 21 percent last year

People are really starting to give hemp a chance by incorporating the plant into their lives in a big way. In 2014, there was $620 million worth of hemp products sold in the U.S. alone, with food and personal care items totaling about $200 million.

10. Hemp is used in over 25,000 products

Although it may seem like hemp has been hiding out, the multifaceted fiber is actually used in everything from suits by Giorgio Armani to interior car parts by BMW. Hemp can also be found in everyday items like yarn, paper, carpeting, cosmetics, nutritional supplements and body care products.

Originally published in issue 17 of Cannabis Now. 

Business spreads the word about hemp’s economic potential

By Tom Martin
Source: kentucky.com


Alyssa Faith Erickson, left, and business partner Kirstin Bohnert

Alyssa Faith Erickson is cofounder of both Kentucky Hempsters and United Hemp Industries. She talked with Tom Martin about the move to bring hemp farming and production back to Kentucky.

Q: Tell us about these organizations. Since you’re a cofounder, who else is involved in getting them up and running?

A: The other half of both businesses is my business partner, Kirstin Bohnert. We’re both from Kentucky. And we recognize hemp as a way to revitalize the economy through agriculture. Kentucky Hempsters is an educational group. We try and educate and get other people involved who don’t know about hemp or are confused about what it is or what it’s not. And United Hemp Industries is an actual processor licensed with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and we will be processing hemp this year for research and development purposes.

Q: Where does the effort to fully legalize hemp cultivation and the production of hemp-based products now stand?

A: Right now, under Senate Bill 50 and the Farm Bill, states who have hemp legislation are allowed to grow under their department of agriculture for research purposes. This will last for 5 years. This year will be the third year Kentucky has had a pilot program growing hemp. There is a federal bill, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015, that has been introduced in both the House and Senate by Kentucky legislators. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Rand Paul, and Congressman Thomas Massie have all been on the forefront of this legislation.

Q: Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer has expressed concerns that legalizing hemp would make it easy for an unscrupulous farmer to conceal marijuana plants among hemp plants. He wants hemp made distinguishable from marijuana and he wants hemp to contain zero THC, the marijuana component that creates a high when it’s ingested. Can these stipulations be met?

A: I can’t answer those questions for you. I think they’re a little outrageous considering that all cannabis plants contain some component of THC. Eventually, they’re looking to come out with varieties with little to no, but sometimes that THC is going to be inevitable in that variety. And the varieties that we grow, as far as it being distinguishable, the projects that are licensed through the state are registered and the plots are registered. On the flipside, marijuana growers aren’t going to want to put their marijuana plants anywhere near a hemp plant because that will essentially take away the THC from the high THC marijuana plant they’re trying to grow. So, it’s more about assessing the recreational use and where that lies. You know, we look at this as a complete separate issue.

Q: Do hemp and marijuana require different growing conditions?

A: It depends on what you’re growing for. A lot of these projects are studying the growth of the cannabinoids for medicinal use. And in that case, you would grow more like marijuana. You’re growing for the flower, specifically. So, you want the big bushier plants. However, for industrial uses, for fiber and actual seed production, you’ll be growing more as an agricultural crop. You know, more broad field. More acreage and bigger uses long term.

Q: I know the list of potential uses of hemp is pretty long, but if you could give us a short list of uses of industrial hemp that might come into play here in Kentucky if it becomes legal to produce products.

A: We’re really excited about the industrial purposes such as hempcrete, which is hemp concrete. We actually stayed in a house in Asheville, N.C., that was made using hempcrete and it was absolutely beautiful and a great experience to see and feel the properties of the house and experience it firsthand. It’s inspired a lot of what we want to do this year along with animal bedding, animal foods, even cosmetics, body products, lotions, shampoo, conditioners, foods. The nutritional aspect is really exciting. The amino acid profile, the omegas in it. The hemp parts, protein powders, hemp milk. I mean, the list really goes on as far as the potential opportunities of this plant.

Q: What is it about hempcrete that makes it particularly desirable?

A: We’re going to be researching that this year for our own purposes, but it has shown to be fire resistant in a lot of circumstances. It is also carbon neutral and it filters the air and allows the home to breathe. It’s non-toxic and also renewable, and sustainable, and can be grown right in our backyard.

Q: Some manufacturers are actually already using hemp. BMW, for example, is using fibers in door panels and other components because the hemp component is lighter in weight. But where are they getting their hemp?

A: Right now, all hemp has to be imported from other countries. So, Europe for more industrial purposes, Canada for food. China, a lot of our fiber comes from there. So, right now, we’re getting all of our hemp from other countries and that’s why we’re trying to bring this market back to our country.

Q: What kind of interest are you seeing among Kentucky farmers in getting involved in the research phase?

A: I feel like farmers are eager to get involved without really understanding where the industry is. The farmers want an alternative crop. They want a new option, a new commodity to include in their rotations. However, they’re really unaware of where the industry stands in all the components and aspects of actually growing. You have to find seeds. You have to find the equipment. You have to know how to plant. You have to find an end use. You need to find a processor. So, there are a lot of details that go way past just growing hemp and being a hemp farmer.

Q: And at this stage, there’s really no return on investment. Correct? They can’t sell the crop.

A: You can actually sell the crop. However, I don’t think last year anyone made much of a profit. However, farmers were paid. And based on the contracts that they have arranged with their processors and the financial support the processor has (factors into)what the farmer makes. But right now, we’ve seen little-to-no profit, but more so feedback about getting involved and being a part of an industry on the ground floor.

Q: Do you offer consultant services, and how is that going?

A: Yes. I mentioned earlier United Hemp Industries. Last year, we were solely a consultant and worked with a processor here in Kentucky who had four farms across the state and assisted them in finding seed sources, equipment, building relationships, whatever they needed us to do. This year, now that we’re a processor, we’re producing our own research, meanwhile still offering consulting services to farmers and processors coming into the program new this year and are looking for the same assistance that we offered last year.

Q: Is the hemp world a male dominated culture, or are women represented?

A: So far, most of who we’ve dealt with in Kentucky basically have been male. However, the New York Times has released an article about women and the role they’ve been playing in changing the perception of the cannabis plant as a whole, and I feel, if anything, Kirstin and I are catalysts for inspiring women to get involved. We’ve had a lot of females reach out to us who are eager to get involved, but don’t know how. And we’re hoping to offer them those opportunities this year and going forward.

Q: Is there a “next big thing” for hemp in Kentucky or the nation?

A: We’re waiting to get through the research. We’re waiting to get through the next presidential election to see how that goes. That may affect the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, which is the federal bill that would remove industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act. The research these projects are producing will ultimately help push the federal movement forward on that level and, hopefully, allow Kentucky to eventually grow and have a commercial market.

Alyssa Faith Erickson

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article61652837.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article61652837.html#storylink=cpy

Hemp Makes Better Supercapacitor Electrodes

By Steve Hanley
Source: gas2.org

Researchers at the University of Alberta’s National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) have discovered that hemp based electrodes for supercapacitors outperform standard supercapacitors by nearly 200%. At present, the preferred material for making electrodes is graphene. Electrodes are what connect an electrical storage medium to the outside world. Some materials can handle high current applications and others allow quick access times. Graphene does both.

There is one drawback, however. Graphene costs about $2,000 per gram. Looking for a less costly solution, researchers at NINT, led by chemical and materials engineering Professor David Mitlin, developed a process for converting fibrous hemp waste into a unique graphene-like nanomaterial that outperforms graphene. What’s more, it can be manufactured for less than $500 per ton. “Our work actually opens up a very cheap and mass-producible manufacturing method for graphene quality materia — something that has never been achieved before,” says Mitlin.

Carbon is the primary component of most electrodes. Whether it is activated carbon, templated carbon, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes, or graphene, all have been intensively studied as materials for supercapacitor electrodes. Many are expensive to manufacture. They also have limited power characteristics.

“It is becoming well understood that the key to achieving high power in porous electrodes is to reduce the ion transport limitations” says Mitlin. “Nanomaterials based on graphene and their hybrids have emerged as a new class of promising high-rate electrode candidates. They are, however, too expensive to manufacture compared to activated carbons derived from pyrolysis of agricultural wastes, or from the coking operations.”

Mitlin decided to test hemp bast fiber’s unique cellular structure to see if it could produce graphene-like carbon nanosheets. Hemp fiber waste was heated under pressure at 180 °C for 24 hours. The resulting carbonized material was treated with potassium hydroxide and then heated to temperatures as high as 800 °C, resulting in the formation of uniquely structured nanosheets. Testing of this material revealed that it discharged 49 kW of power per kg of material — nearly triple what standard commercial electrodes supply, 17 kW/kg.

“The resultant graphene-like nanosheets possess fundamentally different properties, such as pore size distribution, physical interconnectedness, and electrical conductivity—as compared to conventional biomass-derived activated carbons,” Mitlin tells the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

“We were delighted at how well this material performed as supercapacitor electrodes,” says Mitlin. “This novel precursor-synthesis route presents a great potential for facile large scale production of high performance carbons for a variety of diverse applications including energy storage, portable electronics, uninterruptable power sources, medical devices, load leveling, and hybrid electric vehicles.”

This breakthrough, if it an be commercialized successfully, could be a significant factor in reducing the cost of electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

Hemp Industry Group Says FDA is Biased

Source: newcannabisventures.com

Hemp Industries Association Responds to FDA Warning Letters Regarding Mislabeling of Cannabidiol (CBD) Products

19 Feb 2016

Washington, DC – Hemp Industries Association (HIA), the non-profit North American hemp trade association, has published its statement in response to recent warning letters sent by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manufacturers of CBD products, regarding mis-labeling of drug claims on said products.  Available on the FDA website, the letters explain that per the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, CBD products may not be marketed as drugs, meaning manufacturers cannot make claims regarding CBD products’ efficacy in the cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease. Furthermore, the FDA asserts that cannabidiol products may not be marketed as supplements, because ‘new drug’ consideration is currently pending for CBD. To view these letters in their entirety, dated February 4, 2016, please visit:

http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/.

It is the position of the HIA that legal hemp products containing CBD were marketed as foods and dietary supplements long before cannabidiol formulations were submitted to the FDA for testing as a ‘new drug.’ As such, CBD products are exempt from laws that preclude CBDs from product status as dietary supplements pending ‘new drug’ approval by the FDA. Though none of the companies in receipt of these warning letters are current or former HIA members, the HIA urges these CBD product manufacturers to revise their product labeling and marketing such that no medical claims are made.

“There is great potential for the CBD market to expand in the U.S., but we need to move forward as an industry on a path that defines cannabidiol products as dietary supplements, much like multi-vitamins and herbal products,” said Eric Steenstra, Executive Director of the Hemp Industries Association.

Unlike FDA approved pharmaceutical drugs, which are new compounds developed and patented by drug companies and go through rigorous clinical trials before reaching the market, and can only be administered with a prescription; cannabidiol is a botanically derived, floral extract that exists organically in nature. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 explicitly defines ‘supplements’ as an extract of a botanical. As such, the HIA maintains that CBD products are indeed supplements, and that attempts by the FDA, or other agencies, to discourage lawful manufacturing and marketing of these products demonstrates unjust bias toward the hemp industry.

To read the HIA’s joint statement regarding best practices for labeling and manufacturing of medicinal cannabis and hemp products, please visit:

http://thehia.org/HIAhemppressreleases/3236544.

Original press release: http://www.thehia.org/HIAhemppressreleases/3832489

USDA's About-Face On Organic Hemp Leaves Growers In Limbo

By By LUKE RUNYON & HARVEST PUBLIC MEDIA
Source: kunc.org

Industrial hemp can grow more than ten feet tall. The plant, which can resemble marijuana grown for medical or recreational use, usually lacks THC, the chemical that gives users a high.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reversed course on its organic certification of industrial hemp operations throughout the country.

A handful of hemp farms, including Colorado-based CBDRx, had secured, or were in the process of securing, certifications from third-party auditors following a directive from the USDA's National Organic Program staff allowing hemp to be certified organic.


"Organic certification of industrial hemp production at this time is premature and could be misleading to certified organic operations," reads a published instruction [.pdf] from the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.

"The legality of the various uses of this product has not yet been determined. Until USDA guidance regarding industrial hemp production under the Farm Bill is completed, NOP-accredited certifying agents may not certify the domestic production of industrial hemp," the document continues.

That leaves farms that secured the certification before the USDA backtracked in bureaucratic limbo. Some of those companies are using the USDA organic seal to market products.

In an email, a USDA spokesman noted the department doesn't intend to take action with regard to current certified operations at this time. The USDA has also told third-party auditing firms not to certify additional hemp operations in the country as organic.

The dispute over whether or not to certify hemp as organic puts the plant's murky legal status on full display. Colorado lawmakers are attempting to establish a state standard for organic cultivation of cannabis in the absence of federal direction. Consumer fraud regulators in the state are already looking at dispensaries and edible manufacturers for potentially misleading consumers on organic practices.

Binghamton University entrepreneur kicks off hemp wine venture

By Brendan Zarkower
Source: bupipedream.com

Sophomore Kaelan Castetter partners with other students to market legal, THC infused alcohol

A student-run startup is attempting to tackle the wine market with a distinctive product — hemp-infused wine.

Innovative Bottling Solutions was founded by sophomore Kaelan Castetter last summer as a continuation of a venture started by his father in the 1990s. The initial hemp wine venture was shut down by government regulations that have since changed, and it has inspired Castetter to improve upon the idea and expand the concept.

“We are using a unique oil from the hemp plant that delivers a distinctive flavor and aromatic quality,” said Castetter, who is majoring in political science.

According to Castetter, since the wine contains less than four percent THC — the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — it is legal under federal regulations. The wine, which tastes of hemp, is in high demand. He described it as a different kind of taste than normal wine, though the amount of THC is too small to elicit the feeling usually associated with hemp.

He sees target markets on college campuses and at festivals around the country, though he has his sights set on the Finger Lakes region at first. He said that he is excited about the product because it is something that hasn’t really been done before.

“Wine has yet to be brewed in the United States with hemp in it,” Castetter said. “There are some beers, but they haven’t been successfully marketed.”

Castetter says that the company’s “proprietary extraction method” is what makes the product unique. This method is the means by which the hemp oil is infused with the wine, and it opens up a lot of options for his products.

“The great thing about this is flexibility,” Castetter said. “We can add this to any variety, whether it’s an expensive French wine, champagne or rosé.”

On the production end, Castetter has partnered with a student from another school to perfect the process. Ben Herrara, a Cornell University senior majoring in food science with a minor in viticulture — the study of grape cultivation — is head of production.

“Right now I am working on formulation, trying to figure out what tastes the best,” Herrara said. “As we grow I’ll focus on the scaling of production and things like that.”

Herrara, who became involved with the venture when Castetter reached out to the Cornell viticulture department directly, shares Castetter’s impression that the market for this product is large and untapped, possibly due to the legal stigmas around the product.

“The only thing really holding us back right now is capital,” Cassetter said.

In terms of managing capital, Castetter has turned to several fellow BU students to help run the financial end of the business. Sam Debessay, a junior majoring in business administration, is working on the quantitative components of the start-up along with Rohan Nayyar, a senior also majoring in business administration.

“This wine with the qualities of hemp is an innovative concept,” Debessay said. “The margins are good, because it’s alcohol, and there’s minimal competition nationally.”

The company has entered on-campus competitions in the past, including the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships Idea Pitch competition, but they have yet to receive any funding through these means.

Future plans for Innovative Bottling Solutions consist primarily of trying to find funding by attending venture capital fairs and entering more local business competitions.

Castetter acknowledges that his business is unlike many that are receiving funding through these means, but remains committed to the cause nonetheless.

“I was laughed out of a lot of wineries, because of my age and my idea,” Castetter said. “But after this takes off, we’ll see who is left laughing.”

Kentucky's Industrial Hemp Program Expanding in Third Year

By Allison Crawfors
Source: wkms.org

Kentucky’s Industrial Hemp Pilot Research Program is expanding as it rolls into its third year.

This year, officials are looking to further develop the state’s hemp market. Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles says hemp processors are an important part of the pilot program.

“It’s important that these processors get a business plan that works and get it linked up with farmers,” Quarles said. “That way if, and when, congress releases [industrial hemp] as a legal crop to grow, a lot of people already have a market they can look toward and they’re not jumping into something head first without having someone to sell it to.”

Quarles says hemp researchers have identified the need to develop different methods of harvesting hemp.

“Depending on what the use of industrial hemp is for, it needs to be harvested at a different time in its life cycle. And that’s the sort of research that those agricultural researchers here at Murray know better. And, in fact, we may have to invent new equipment,” Quarles said.

Division of Value-Added Plant Production Director Brent Burchett says 36 Kentucky-based hemp processors have been approved so far, with more applying. That is up from 26 processors last year. Burchett says some processors are focusing on the use of hemp in food products and others on the use of fiber for car manufacturing and textiles. He says there are also processors interested in extracting medicinal cannabidiol from industrial hemp.

The Department of Agriculture has approved 4,500 acres for hemp cultivation in 2016. Burchett says only 900 acres of last year’s 1,742 approved acres were planted due to difficulties importing the seed and unfavorable weather.  He said last year’s heavy rain drown several acres of seed.

“There’s kind of a misconception that hemp is easy to grow. And our farmer’s tell us that is not the case. It needs a certain soil type, it needs good drainage, it needs all the attention traditional crops need,” Burchett said.

167 hemp farmers are approved to grow the plant in 2016, which is up from 95 last year. Burchett says most of the industrial hemp growers are former produce, tobacco, grain and cattle farmers.

Burchett says Kentucky’s Industrial Hemp Pilot Program is authorized through 2018 under the 2014 federal Farm Bill. It is unclear if the pilot program will continue in the following years.

“You know, farmer’s would really hope [there will be a new farm bill.] But if history is any indication what’ll happen next go around,” Burchett said. “It’s quite difficult to pass a farm bill in today’s congress. We’ll be looking with great interest to see if the hemp provision is included once again in the farm bill.”