HEMP CO-OP POSSIBLE FOR STETTLER

A Sherwood Park man pushing for the establishment of a hemp growers co-op
in the Stettler area says a dozen producers have come on board. And Max
Cornelssen is optimistic that enough seed will be produced this year to sow
about 30 acres of hemp come fall.

Cornelssen, who grew up near Stettler and whose family still owns land
north of town, pitched the idea of a hemp growers and processors group this
spring. He said material from the plant could be used to produce methanol
and other fuels, with spinoff products including fertilizer and fabric.

Cornelssen, who ran for the Marijuana Party in the Crowfoot riding during
the recent federal election, said his biggest hurdle is overcoming public
concerns about the legality of the crop.

Federal laws prohibit the production of hemp - which is closely related to
marijuana - if it contains significant amounts of the psychoactive
ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. The production of industrial hemp
also requires a licence from Health Canada.

"We're still fighting the fear aspect of this thing, said Cornelssen, who
insists THC is necessary for hemp seeds to resist insect pests.

"It produces your best quality."

But Const. John Bishop of the Stettler detachment of the RCMP said people
have good reason to be leery about hemp production.

Bishop said his department is continuously investigating and charging
people involved in marijuana grow operations. Anyone growing hemp in
contravention of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act faces criminal
prosecution - including a mandatory court appearance and penalty at the
discretion of the judge.

He added he is familiar with Cornelssen's campaign but does not know of
anyone in the area who is growing hemp illegally.

Cornelssen said the producers who have joined his co-op are all based
within 80 to 100 km of Stettler. He explained that's probably the maximum
distance hemp could be economically trucked to a proposed "biomass
conversion facility" in Stettler.

Cornelssen said he has also distributed seed to approximately 400 people,
and is optimistic many of these are now growing hemp. But with the public's
concerns about legal restrictions on the crop, many are keeping quiet.

"This is guerrilla farming."

If the laws are changed to eliminate those fears, Cornelssen thinks hemp
production will take off. He said the timing is good, with dwindling fossil
fuel reserves and rising prices making agriculture-based methanol more and
more attractive.

"Hemp produces more biomass than any other plant on the planet, and that's
the one we should use."

Producers who harvest hemp this fall will likely do so by clipping off the
seed-bearing tops of the plants using a raised combine platform. The rest
of the plant could then be cut and baled.

"I'm pretty sure we can come up with 50 pounds (23 kg)," said Cornelssen.

He estimates about five pounds of seed per acre would be needed to grow
widely spaced plants for seed production. Later, when fields are seeded
more densely for fibre production, greater quantities of seed would be
required.

Cornelssen hopes to take the seed from the 2004 harvest and plant it on his
family's land outside Stettler this fall.

"Primarily for the next couple of years we're going to be growing seed."