INDUSTRIAL HEMP MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT

Hemp producers and residents interested in the industrial cultivation
of the plant are invited to attend a Town Hall meeting tomorrow night
(Jan. 25) at the 100 Mile House Lodge "Valley" Conference Room.

Subjects for discussion are: a review of the 2006 hemp production;
status of the hemp industry in Canada and plans for the 100 Mile
House hemp industry.

Last year's hemp-growing pilot pro

ject, conducted by the District of 100 Mile House, the Ministry of
Agriculture and the Canim Lake Band yielded between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds.

Mayor Donna Barnett, who serves as chair for the volunteers, will
also chair the meeting.

"We're still very positive about it and the meeting will be an
informational meeting on what we did, what we did wrong, where we've
been, what the researchers found and where we're going for 2007," said Barnett.

The project received grant money from the National Research Council,
who also provided a researcher. The District also chipped in with some funding.

"As we said from the beginning, we're going to do the research but if
the growers can't make money, it won't go any further," Barnett added.

"We still believe we will be successful and we'll have another year
of research."

Processed hemp has many different uses, from textiles, paper and soap
to food supplements, cooking oil and clothing.

The meeting gets underway at 6 p.m. and is expected to wind up around
8. For further information, please contact Carollyne Evans, district
administrator, at 395-2434.