GROWER FIGHTS FOR HEMP INDUSTRY

Jean Laprise makes a reluctant poster boy for loosening industrial hemp
regulations in the United States. But for the past month, the no-nonsense
Chatham, Ont., farmer and businessperson has found himself in the spotlight.

"I am not an activist by any stretch of the imagination," said Laprise,
president of Kenex Ltd., a leading Canadian hemp processor.

But now, he is rolling up his sleeves to do political battle with the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Agency, which seized a shipment of Kenex hemp birdseed at
the border.

The DEA has also demanded Kenex recall 17 other shipments of hemp products,
or face $700,000 in fines and possible criminal charges.

Laprise is fighting for the survival of his business, since the bulk of his
products are sold in the U.S.

"It's crippled our business," said Laprise, explaining skittish customers
have canceled sales.

But he said the outcome of his fight could have tremendous impact for other
Canadian hemp farmers.

"I guess from a grain and oilseed perspective, there certainly needs to be
a little caution until this is resolved," he said. Unless the DEA closes
the border to Canadian hemp products, Greg Herriot said he doesn't foresee
problems for his company, Hempola, which exports oil and other products
made from Manitoba-grown hemp seed. But Herriot said the border skirmish
does present a hurdle for the young Canadian hemp industry.

"How do we deal with that problem? I don't know."

The attention could help increase consumer awareness and demand for hemp
products, he said.

"It's ludicrous what they (the DEA) are doing when you look at all the
benefits behind it."

Herriot said he thinks Kenex should not have attached lab results showing
the shipment's tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content as 14 parts per million.

"They made a mistake."

He described the THC content in the birdseed as a quality or cleanliness
issue.

Hempola oil contains less than four parts per million THC before it is
blended with other ingredients.

Laprise acknowledged he didn't have to include the THC test results with
the shipment, but said his customer requested them.

"We want to do business in a very honest manner."

At 14 parts per million, or 0.0014 percent, the THC content is miniscule.
Even seed with one percent THC has less psychoactive properties than
low-grade marijuana, said Laprise.

Canadian and European regulations allow hemp in the field to have a maximum
of 3,000 parts per million THC.

In food products, Health Canada allows no more than 10 parts per million
THC.