Good one...I got the munchies already.

So will they provide training in hemp production.........or will they advertise for individuals with experience?

Seems they have been messing around with Hemp production for years, but it has never become much of an industry.
Or has it?
Is it a viable industry?
Is there enough of a demand for it?
I know there were some hemp products for sale in Vancouver in the 60's and I do see some now, here and there.
I am just not sure about 235,000 dollars to check out some thing that may never become anything that's actually worth much.
Or will it?
...interesting....

at last recognition for b.c.'s largest cash crop,i suppose west fraser & canfor will need something else to loot,one can only imagine what the stumpage will be? now if is only taxed right we could pay off our government debts and get back control of our country!

Over in Scotland they have been using hemp instead of wood in the pulp mills. It is also interesting to note that hemp production was banned in North America because Randolf Hurth(spelling of last name wrong) started up a pulp mill using wood and he did not like the competion using hemp because it was cheaper; so he worked on the US Govevernment to ban all growing of hemp. When I was young a good hemp skipping rope was the best thing and you just went down to the store and bought the length you wanted.

Seems odd, why not do it out in the Horsefly, Likely area. It's already one big grow op out there.

The Damm goverment can blow money on crap like that but they cannot help out a local tree nursery that already employs local people.

So now I am beginning to understand why the real estate value in 100 Mile House has been doing so well.

"It is also interesting to note that hemp production was banned in North America because Randolf Hurth(spelling of last name wrong) started up a pulp mill using wood and he did not like the competion using hemp because it was cheaper"

If you are running a pulp mill you would want the cheapest raw material possible.

You got part of the story right. If you search the web there are a number of sources that provide details regarding the prohibition of hemp at the same time hydrocarbon / chlorinated based synthetic
fibers came onto the market. I suspect you are thinking of the Hearst newspaper group who were alleged to be suporters of the campaign to outlaw hemp.

Dr. Tommorrow, Frank Ogden, aka Dr. Tomorrow, has been promoting Kenaf as the paper mill feedstock of the future for a couple of decades at least.

According to the site linked below it says:

"Kenaf grows quickly, rising to heights of 12-14 feet in as little as 4 to 5 months. U.S. Department of Agriculture studies show that kenaf yields of 6 to 10 tons of dry fiber per acre per year are generally 3 to 5 times greater than the yield for Southern pine trees, which can take from 7 to 40 years to reach harvestable size."

That is SOUTHERN pine. With the stuff around here the potential for increased yield per acre is even greater.

Of course, one has to put "best use of agricultural land" into that equation before switching crops.

http://www.visionpaper.com/kenaf2.html

Hemp increases fibre production by about the same amount per acre and has some other benefits with respect to fibre quality for recycling purposes as well as bleaching purposes.

http://www.coolhemp.com/en_abouthemp.htm

So, congrats to the feds for this program. We need more like that to increase production and build some new generation pulp mills to replace the old ones.

This is exactly what those in the business have been talking about which will eventually cause the mills to be mothballed and new ones built, likely even in other locations to suit the new feedstock.

So long as the Americans proceed with the 'War on Drugs' the market for hemp will be limited. Even IF it's a superior product.

Sounds like the government wants a piece of the pot.

Wealthy cotton farmers were also a big opponent of hemp fibre. It would take over the textile market, as a much more durable and longer lasting fabric.

Good start.

This is far more logical and sustainable than the razing of entire forests. Hemp can be made into so many products that the only thing missing now are investors to get it up and running in a meaningful way. Hemp farming would also be far better than not just clear cutting but also cattle production. Cattle are the single worst source of CO2 gases - methane - far worse than even cars.

I would encourage strongly that everyone do your research on this subject so you'll see for yourself how superior Hemp is to logging and cattle, etc.

Really, didn't realize there was grants available to grow hemp.