HEMP FARMING, THE OTHER CASH CROP

It's been three long years of research, meetings, planning and trials
and this is the year to prove it's all been worthwhile.

The District of 100 Mile House has been actively pursuing hemp
farming, a project identified by the Cariboo-Chilcotin Beetle Action
Committee as a possible strategy for economic diversification.

The group has applied for a grant from the Western Economic
Diversification fund to help farmers prepare the land and harvest the
crop and Mayor Donna Barnett was optimistic that application will be
successful.

Now they need 200 acres ready to plant during the last two weeks of
May.

A dozen people interested in the project met in the District of 100
Mile House chamber office March 25 for details on hemp production.

Some farmers have already committed to planting the crop this year but
more would be welcome.

"Some want to produce and don't have land, others have land and don't
want to produce," said Barnett.

Ivan Fischer of 108 Mile is one of those interested in planting the
crop.

"I came to the meeting because I've been interested in this product
for quite some time, it's just a matter of financial resources to get
involved with it; right now I'm looking at purchasing land but I
haven't found the right place," said Fischer.

The Canim Lake Indian Band has been on board with the project from the
beginning and now the Alkali Lake Band near Williams Lake is
committing 10 acres to hemp.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands is providing technical expertise
and a summer student under the ministry's sponsorship will offer
assistance to hemp farmers.

Industrial hemp is related to the marijuana plant but contains none of
the psychoactive drug found in marijuana.

Health Canada closely regulates who is allowed to grow hemp and
farmers must apply for an annual licence to grow and harvest the crop.

Licensing requirements include a criminal record check.

Barnett urged those at the meeting to apply quickly as planting needs
to be completed in the last two weeks of May to ensure a long enough
growing season for this very rapid growth crop.

She said the biggest fear for everyone is to put out the outlay and
not reap the benefits but she assured farmers there is already a
market for all the hemp grown here.

"We want to prove this is an economically viable cash crop," said
Barnett.

Hemp can be used in over 25,000 products ranging from food to beer to
beauty products to clothing and building materials to paper.