Farmers

For eight years, businessman Kim Hough lobbied Western Australia (WA) governments for approval of an estimated $1 billion-a-year industry that would boost local farming. The only problem was, it was illegal. Then, on May 19, the Industrial Hemp Act of WA came into effect. It allowed the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp with less than 0.35 per cent tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient of cannabis or marijuana.

The high protein mixture, which contains 34 percent protein and essential fatty acids, has made his cattle healthier, happier and heftier, according to Wise.

What’s a soybean grower to do? Rising production costs, increased pests and possible new diseases of plague-like proportions have many growers frustrated about growing soybeans. Growers have several options, including stick with soybeans, plant more corn or raise an entirely new crop.

Jake Bowers describes hemp’s potential to transform agriculture and the plant’s demonisation by huge and competing industrial interests.

Another U.S. hemp ban? After U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno declared that it wasn’t hemp products, but rather previous U.S. bans on hemp products which were illegal, the Canadian hemp industry thought it could finally put its efforts into building this new and promising industry, rather than wasting time and resources fighting misguided U.S. governmental policies.