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The post More happening in Chinese hemp than meets the eye appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter.

The opening of the Chinese hemp market will no doubt be significant for the industry globally. While little is known about the world’s biggest hemp producer, glimpses of what’s being done are tantalizing.

Take SkyGreen, an offshoot of NASDAQ-listed Sky Solar Group, a solar panel maker that builds photovoltaic power stations internationally.

SkyGreen has rapidly moved into industrial hemp, with activities in farming, processing and extraction of CBD, and with an aggressive R&D program that is exploring applications for hemp from low tech to high. The company now has a huge fiber hemp planting base and processing workshop in Hei Longjiang Province, China’s hemp capital.

Shrouded in mystery

But much about the Chinese hemp industry is shrouded in mystery. This enigma has as much to do with communication problems as it does anything else, according to Japanese consultant Riki Hiroi, who recently attended the 60th convention of China’s Institute of Bast Fiber Crops at the invitation of Chinese officials.

The post Belarus hemp stakeholders push back against strict enforcement appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter.

By Brian Houlihan | HempToday – Belarus has some of the most restrictive cannabis and hemp laws in Europe. Yet despite the fears of reprisals, activists in the country are continuing their push for legal reforms.

”Cultivation, possession, purchasing, selling or transporting (hemp) is a criminal offense,” Piotr Markiełaŭ of Legalize Belarus told HempToday. “There is no distinction in the law between hemp and heroin, possession of either can cost you up to 5 years in prison. If a hemp plant accidentally grows up on your land you can face a fine.”

History of hemp in Belarus

Markiełaŭ said hemp was once widely used in Belarus and the wider region. “Hemp thread, fabric, flour, oil, paper, and other products were produced,” he notes. However, Markiełaŭ laments the current situation as “No hemp products are made in Belarus and everything we have available to buy is imported from abroad.”

Markiełaŭ recounts how in the 1950’s farmers in Belarus were encouraged to grow hemp in reclaimed bog-land. Posters were produced by the Soviets with a slogan which roughly translates to ‘Expand hemp crops on peat bogs!’.

The post NGO calls WHO committee’s report ‘unethical, surrealistic’ appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter.

International cannabis activists have expressed concern over a guidance document from the World Health Organization (WHO) that will be under review during the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) meeting Dec. 5-7 in Vienna. WHO representatives are to give the definitive outcomes and recommendations for the re-scheduling of cannabis, and guidelines for cannabidiol (CBD) to the UN’s Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) during the meeting.

The concerns emerged this week in Geneva during a meeting of WHO’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), which contributed the guidance, essentially a scientific review that covers of cannabis, resin, extracts, THC, and CBD extracts.

‘Unethical, surrealistic’

“The disappointment relates to the important, repeated, unethical – and I tend to say surrealistic – bias in the (ECDD) documentation,” Kenzi Riboulet Zemouli of FAAAT wrote in a four page letter to the Expert Committee, citing passages in the WHO documentation that address pharmacology and epidemiology, which FAAT says are key to the overall review.

FAAT specifically criticized pharmacology sections in the guidance which it says contain “dozens of methodological fallacies and terminological bias. “Misinterpreted studies outcomes and even some presentation of false conclusions seem to imply an intention to introduce bias,” the letter charged.

The post Uttar Pradesh is second Indian state to allow hemp cultivation appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter.

In Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India, the government recently announced it will issue permits to allow the cultivation of hemp in the region. The announcement follows the recent reforms elsewhere in the country which are already leading to serious investments.

A government spokesperson, Srikant Sharma, told Indian media the introduction of hemp growing could help improve farmers income. According to the decision, farmers will be allowed cultivate hemp under the supervision of the Excise Department. The UP government has committed to doubling the income of farmers by 2022 and hemp is part of the plan to achieve this.

Things moving in Uttarakhand

The move follows the lead of Uttarakhand, which last year became the first state in India to allow farmers to grow hemp. Uttarakhand, which is also located in northern India, borders Nepal and China and officials in the region believe hemp has the potential to revive Indian agriculture and create numerous jobs.

Now the Uttarakhand region now set for serious investment in the hemp industry which could significantly impact the state. The Indian Industrial Hemp Association (IIHA) recently announced an investment of Rs 1,100 crores (about $150 million) for expanding hemp cultivation, research, and other initiatives to grow the industry in Uttarakhand.

Massachusetts-based MariMed, a multi-state cannabis operator, is entering the hemp-derived CBD business with a $30 million investment in a Kentucky company. The company, GenCanna, has contract farmers to grow hemp to its specifications as well processing facilities to turn the plant into CBD extracts, concentrates, isolates and other products. GenCanna plans to use the money […]

Marijuana firm MariMed invests $30M in hemp-derived CBD producer is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

The post Belize officials back hemp but clear regulations still needed appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter.

After recent calls by opposition leader John Briceño to legalize cannabis in Belize were rejected, Prime Minister Dean Barrow suggested the country should look towards hemp production instead. The call for cannabis reform follows the decriminalization of cannabis possession for 10 grams or less in April 2017.

While hemp is legal in the Central American nation, there are currently no regulations in place. Speaking to local media, Prime Minister Barrow declared “We are well on the way to creating just such an industry with the Ministry of Agriculture meeting with, and preparing farmers and the Attorney General drafting the necessary legislation, using Canadian and Australian models.”

Support at official level

After Briceño’s call for reform, it emerged that the Belize Health Minister Pablo Marin had expressed his support for cannabis and hemp reforms back in February 2016. A letter he wrote in support of a project mooted by local businessmen to produce cannabis for medical purposes was highlighted in the media.

Another letter from October 2017 reveals the Health Ministers’ support for the development of hemp production in the Stann Creek District of Belize. Marin outlines the four conditions needed for his support: That the product is exported to a company with relevant state licenses; that the processing plant and the culture of the hemp plant be in accordance with local laws; that the land is fenced; and that the company involved complies with the laws of Belize.

The post Hanffasser Uckermark is honored with prize from Raab Foundation appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter.

German hemp cooperative Hanffaser Uckermark eG has been named recipient of a €50,000 award from the Hans Raab Environmental Award Foundation.

The bi-annual prize honors firms which demonstrate environmentally conscious practices in their businesses. It is handed out as an incentive for future work, with the aim of protecting the environment and human health in a sustainable way, according to Foundation guidelines. The Raab prize also promotes and supports the recycling of environmentally friendly products in the global market.

Founded in 1997 as one of the first German hemp companies of modern times, Hanffaser Uckermark e.G. runs a decortication line for the processing of hemp-straw, emphasizing high environmental standards.

The post Self-regulatory authority in USA starts hemp certification program appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter.

The US Hemp Roundtable has launched training and self-regulatory programs through which growers and processors can get a “certified” seal for use in their advertising, marketing and product labeling.

Qualification is through compliance with the newly established U.S. Hemp Authority Guidance Program, and verified by a third-party audit. The group said the “certified” seal is aimed at giving consumers confidence that products they purchase are safe and of the highest possible quality, while giving law enforcement assurance that the products are legal hemp.

Comprehensive guidance

The Hemp Industries Association and the American Herbal Products Association worked with leading firms, labs and quality-control experts to develop the comprehensive guidance program.

“With growth only set to increase, the time is now for the hemp industry to establish and embrace standards, best practices and self-regulation,” the group said in a release.

The post Farmers on Jersey see hemp as solution to soil problems, and more appeared first on HempToday. Subscribe to our newsletter, check out our events and follow us on facebook,

HempToday and Shah Hemp Inno-Ventures (SHIV) will launch HempToday India under a licensing arrangement, the companies have announced.

Nepal-based SHIV is a leading voice for industrial hemp in Asia. The company is active in hemp construction, health & beauty products, textiles and accessories, and offers a boutique of consulting services.

Aim to educate and unite

“The mission of our Indian edition of HempToday is to help unite the industry by sharing knowledge and knowhow, and working for transparency in the marketplace,” said Nivedita Bansal Shah, an Indian native and co-founder at SHIV. “We need better communication in the industry, especially to support small enterprises and startups.”

The first edition of HempToday India will be delivered by email Thursday, Nov. 8. While content will primarily be focused on Indian hemp, the Shahs say HT-India’s editorial team will also look into other nations on the subcontinent that have developing hemp industries, and import/export potential relevant to India.

Second national edition for HT

The Indian edition is HempToday is second national mutation after the launch of HempToday Japan, in the Japanese language, last April. “We’re obviously interested in Asia,” said Kehrt Reyher, HempToday Editor & Publisher. “India is reawakening to hemp, that’s clear. But there are a lot of things needed to develop strong hemp value chains. That all begins with reliable information and networking,” Reyher said.

By Brian Houlihan | HempToday – After medical cannabis reforms in Portugal were announced, fears over the future of the hemp industry have emerged. There are now serious concerns that farmers will not be allowed to sow crops in 2019. Humberto Nogueira, a hemp advocate and consultant in Portugal told HempToday.

In July of this year it was announced that medical cannabis would be made available in limited circumstances. This move has the potential to impact the hemp industry negatively, according to Nogueira. “That is because hemp cannabidiol seems to act as a disruptive element in terms of laws,” Nogueira said, adding that new laws “are made by government departments that don’t know enough about cannabis yet.”

Potential conflict

According to Nogueira, because medical companies can now grow THC- and CBD-rich cannabis varieties, this means there’s a potential conflict with hemp derived CBD. As the DGAV (the government department that controls hemp cultivation procedures in Portugal) is currently reviewing the matter with other governmental departments, it means the 2019 growing season is in limbo.

“Until further notice, this situation doesn’t allow winter cultivars and trials for current and new hemp farmers, plus the fact that without official procedures farmers and investors can’t plan accurately for the 2019 season,” said Nogueira of what he describes as confusion and misinformation at a government level.

Nogueria also said there are rumors of future hemp regulations which would allow growing for fiber only, forcing farmers to “watch their flowers to rot in the field.” That would put Portugal at a serious disadvantage in relation to other EU countries; lower profits for farmers would make growing the crop less attractive, Nogueira said.

Cannabis, activists, scientists, practitioners and other stakeholders will make presentations at the International Cannabis Policy Conference Dec. 7-9 in Vienna. Some 20 speakers representing 11 countries will talk about subjects ranging from sustainable building with industrial hemp to public policy, law, human rights, access to cannabis, licensing, drug policy and food safety during the conference.

The event overlaps with a UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) meeting Dec. 5-7, also in Vienna, during which WHO representatives will give the definitive outcomes and recommendations for the re-scheduling of cannabis, and guidelines for cannabidiol (CBD) to the UN’s Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). CND is the only United Nations body dealing with cannabis policy.

Recommendations coming out of the Policy Conference will supplement WHO re-scheduling guidelines by emphasizing the potential for the development of cannabis and industrial hemp markets as well as products and innovations that meet the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), a global framework for eco-responsible societies.

The Policy Conference is organized by FAAAT, an international lobbying organization.

See the full list of speakers.

Recent government announcements to consider reforming cannabis laws has led to an increased interest in growing hemp on the Bahamian islands and government officials appear warm to the idea. Michael Pintard, the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources for the Bahamas said recently that he has received a number of proposals relating to hemp production.

In July 2018 the government announced it was considering plans to decriminalize the personal use of cannabis and to allow the medicinal use of the plant. The plans are based on a report issued by the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana. The commission presented its findings and recommendations into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding cannabis use in the Caribbean. The report also encouraged the development of the hemp industry in the region.

Three serious contenders

In August, Pintard first revealed that the government was receiving submissions to grow hemp but stated it wasn’t in a position to approve any request. He said late last month the government is continuing to receive submissions and that it had at least three he considers serious proposals.

However, the acceptance of these proposals is subject to wider cannabis reforms being enacted in the Bahamas. But the government appears to be preparing for hemp production becoming a reality and hopes to assist farmers when the time arrives.

CBD designated as legal

While the government is still mulling plans to reform its cannabis and hemp laws, it recently clarified that CBD products are legal. Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands was asked about the legality of CBD by a media outlet after its reporters noticed a pharmacy was selling hair products containing CBD. Sands said the products were not illegal once an import license for the product had been secured.

By Brian Houlihan | HempToday – A group of cannabis investors who recently visited Malawi is lobbying the government to embrace hemp. South Africa-based Canadian cannabis investor Graham Macintosh is among those encouraging politicians to allow investors to grow and buy hemp from the country.

Macintosh, of Green Quest Farmaceuticals, told local media that his company is seeking 50,000 hectares to grow hemp in South Africa. He believes Malawi can easily switch from tobacco to hemp growing. Tobacco was once a cash crop in Malawi but profits have declined in recent years and many farmers are seeking alternatives.

‘Explore the crop’s potential’

In September 2015 the British High Commissioner to Malawi Michael Nevin also suggested the country look to hemp as an alternative to the declining tobacco industry. “I hope outlining the UK experience helps the debate to move on to how Malawi could also explore the crop’s potential,” Nevin said. “The industrial and marijuana varieties are different, with only one offering a legitimate market for Malawi to exploit.”

One media estimate suggests that one kilogram of industrial hemp fetches about K32,000 ($44) on the market and that there is a potential direct annual benefit to Malawians in excess of K3 billion (around $1.4 million) on 16.5 hectares.

Not laughing now

In May 2015, Boniface Kadzamira proposed the idea of legalising industrial hemp in Malawian parliament. While laughed at during his initial suggestion, by June 2016 the government was accepting his calls to legalize hemp in the country.**** Speaking recently in support of Macintosh’s calls for regulation, Kadzamira said the government should quickly draw up guidelines to attract more hemp investors.

The Indian Industrial Hemp Association (IIHA) has big plans as it recently announced an investment of Rs 1,100 crores (about $150 million) for hemp cultivation in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, according to IIHA President Rohit Sharma.

The money is coming from private investors Sharma, Chandra Prakash Shah and Nimit Kasliwa, who are joining with Indian corporate groups that Shah said will be named in due course.

IIHA this past summer received a license to grow industrial hemp on a pilot basis in Uttarakand in the first licensed hemp grow in the country since 1958. The group is a consortium of associations, leading firms, researchers other institutions who interface with government agencies and map out conditions conducive to a thriving Indian hemp industry. IIHA’s network embraces a wide range of governmental ministries and authorities who are backing its efforts.

Investment in growing, research

Sharma said the investment will go for cultivation, research and other initiatives to help advance the industry – with a focus on sustainable development that will boost the fortunes of farmers, and breathe new life into struggling local economies.

“We are opening the dialogue to contract with the farmers, lease their land and their labor, and help them survive better,” Sharma told HempToday. The investment from IIHA in industrial hemp cultivation will not only propel economic growth but also give farmers a great opportunity to live sustainable lives, he said.

The newly formed British Hemp Association (BHA) is hoping to advance the fledgling hemp industry in the UK by working with stakeholders to knock down all barriers to industry growth. The BHA has set an inaugural public meeting Nov. 15 in London.

“With political changes happening so fast with cannabis, I saw that there was a need for a UK association that nurtured, connected and protected UK hemp,” Rebekah Shaman, the group’s chairperson, said of the BHA initiative. The Association was formally created earlier this year following a meeting of stakeholders in 2017 that gathered funding and partners.

Lobbying effort needed

“With Brexit, we are no longer tied to EU regulations and law, which means the UK could become a major international player in the hemp market,” Shaman, told HempToday.

It will take strong lobbying to abolish the need for a license from the government to cultivate hemp – the biggest industry barrier, according to Shaman. Hemp can only be grown in the UK with a Home Office license, making it the jurisdiction of homeland security and not agriculture, she said. The BHA’s ultimate goal is to clear the way so that the whole hemp plant can be processed from flower to root, Shaman told HT.

Potential to thrive

“By removing all the political restrictions we have the potential to build a thriving industry while cleaning up our environmental mess,” said Shaman, who first got interested in industrial hemp for it’s potential as an environmental cleanup solution. She later formed a company, Hemp Global Solutions, focused on that application.

The hemp industry in southern Australia continues to grow steadily. Aided by recent law changes, promising research has been conducted and more farmers are interested in growing hemp in the region. Similarly, in April 2017 hemp food for humans was made legal in Australia, and this has boosted the industry across the continent.

In the state of South Australia, the Industrial Hemp Act 2017 was passed by the State Parliament in April 2017. It followed on from similar hemp legislation and regulatory frameworks being established in Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.

In July 2017 a public consultation process occurred to determine the regulations governing the cultivation and processing of hemp in the region.* Subsequently, the Industrial Hemp Regulations 2017 came into effect in November 2017.

SA trials are continuing

Members of South Australia’s new hemp industry recently met for the first time to discuss preliminary results from research trials. These had been conducted to determine how five hemp varieties performed on sandy soil and clay soil. The varieties included seed from China, Pakistan, and Europe, as well as an Australian bred variety. Aspects such as sowing rates, growing periods and other factors were evaluated. Field trips were also held for the public to learn more in February of this year.

The research was led by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) who had previously undertaken hemp trials in 1995. SARDI is due to conduct a new trial of six varieties beginning this month. Other recent hemp research from South Australia includes the assessment of grain from 20 seed varieties for food use by the University of Adelaide.

By Brian Houlihan | HempToday – Obelisk Farm in eastern Latvia is undertaking plans to add a hemp museum to its small hemp farming and education complex.

“Hemp has long been part of Latvian history and culture,” said Obelisk co-founder Debora Paulino. She and her husband Andris Visnevskis founded Obelisk Farm in 2013

“The idea is relatively new. We knew we wanted to make something in the library barn, apart from having books sitting there, but we didn’t have a specific idea,” said Paulino. “We got inspired by the Dublin Hemp Museum’s work.”

The couple say the museum will not only showcase the history of hemp in Latvia but also highlight hemp culture from other countries.

Family farm

Paulino, Visnevskis and their two children live on the 2.5-hectare farm complex, which includes an old farmhouse and several stone and wooden outbuildings. Alongside selling a number of food products, Obelisk Farm also offers educational tours and hosts a series of annual hemp workshops.

A registered 32-year-old hemp farmer in Pelendri, Cyprus was among those arrested recently on cannabis charges. Cypriot media are reporting the farmer and another suspect was charged with a number of offenses at a remand hearing after two properties used to cultivate hemp under license were raided.

It’s reported that more than 120 plants were located by the authorities following days of surveillance. According to police, the THC levels in 18 samples taken were between 2.3 percent to 5.66 percent, rendering them illegal. In court, the lawyer for the farmer argued that the arrest was void as under the law for hemp cultivation, only officials from the Department of Agriculture may collect samples and not the police.

Police also found around 100kg of cannabis plant material in three separate storage facilities on the premises. The hemp farmer claimed in court it was material from a previous defective crop which was never sold.

Worker also arrested

A second suspect, a 36-year-old worker, was also charged in relation to the case. His lawyer said his client had been working on and off at the property and had no relation to the case. Police say they are seeking a third suspect, whom they believe is an associate of the hemp farmer. The drug squad said it had reason to believe the third man was treating the plants with chemicals to increase their THC yield.

The suspects face charges including, conspiracy to commit a crime, illegal cultivation of a Class B drug, illegal possession of narcotics, and possession with intent to sell a Class B drug. The two men were remanded in custody by Limassol District Court for six days, although the police had initially sought eight days.

Vice Minister of Agriculture Yerlan Nysanbayev has added his voice to the growing list of prominent Kazakhstanian figures calling for hemp production to be embraced. Nysanbayev was recently speaking at an interdepartmental commission meeting on legislative activities as the state is currently drafting a number of laws in relation to conservation and plant protection.

“We are talking about all types of plants, tree crops, bushes – everything should be protected by the law,” he told attendees.

Of the plant world

“Hemp should be considered as one of the plants of the plant world. It cannot be considered as a negative plant. Therefore, this plant species should be preserved, because it is one of the links in the long chain of biodiversity. The loss of any plant or animal world, I think, is fraught with consequences for humans and ecosystems,” said Nysanbayev.

Kazakhstan authorities have long battled with the wild cannabis crops which grow freely in the Chui Valley, a tourist attraction for cannabis enthusiasts. However, in recent years while still seeking to eradicate the, the state has taken steps to boost hemp production.

Crops have been tested

KazHemp, perhaps the only hemp company in Kazakhstan, planted test crops in four regions of the country in 2016 to determine which soil provided the best yield. Their research concluded the optimal conditions exist in The Almaty region.