UP TO 200 ACRES TO BE SEEDED IN HEMP

Nutritional supplements from the South Cariboo could make their way
onto the store shelves of the world in the future.

By the end of the Industrial Hemp Steering Committee meeting March 6,
the members had reached a conclusion on how to direct their efforts.

"We are going to focus on grain for our first year; nutritional
supplements, the oils and those types of things," Mayor Donna
Barnett, the commmittee chair, said.

Hemp grains have proven to be quite popular in the marketplace and
products derived from them grace the shelves of grocery and health
stores across the western world.

Whole hemp seeds contain approximately 25 per cent protein, 31 per
cent fat and 34 per cent carbohydrates, and a vast array of vitamins
and minerals.

Additionally, the seeds are extremely high in protein and contain all
20 known amino acids including the nine essential amino acids that
human bodies cannot produce on their own.

Where the seeds will be planted has also fallen into place.

"We have been in discussions with growers, and basically there are
five to six people who have put in their applications for licences to
start our research on the productivity and the quality of the
productivity," Barnett said.

In total 200 acres will be dedicated to the new crop, she noted.

Getting funding for the project is also coming together.

The committee is looking for $30,000-$40,000.

"We have applied for funding through working with UNBC and applied
for research and market funding from the National Research Council," she said.