BIOREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT HEMP RESEARCH

In the latest issue (Vol. 11 #2) of the Journal of Industrial Hemp, Sue Riddlestone and Emily Stott, both affiliated with BioRegional Development, and Kim Blackburn and James Brighton of Cranfield University, discuss their research on green decortication. A short preamble gives a history of similar research and then leads into their own work, much of which is based on a hemp crop raised in Battle, East Sussex in 2003. That study was funded by the UK government under the England Development Programme, the European Agricultural Guidance, the Guarantee Fund and OFIC. Support was also given by SEEDA, WWF, Marks and Spencer, The Poldham Puckham Charitable Foundation and The Wyndham Charitable Trust.

The UK company Hemcore grew 1 1/2 acres using Fedora 17 and Chameleon, seeded at the rate of 55kg/ha. From these studies, it was easily seen that Chameleon had a higher fibre content (33.8% vs. 26.1% mean), but a similar hurd content. Chameleon also had a higher number of plants, which were on average smaller. A mean raw moisture content for both was recorded to be 72%. Both varieties yielded more than expected (based on recent reports by Struik/Bocsa and Karus) dry matter, with Chameleon weighing in at 15.1 t/ha and Fedora, 17.2 t/ha, though different accounting and harvesting techniques may have been responsible for this difference.

Other differences noted were the strength of the stems, with Fedora evincing more lignification, and the smell, with Fedora noted for putting forth a strong smelling odour from the oil glands.

Fibrenova assisted in the decortication process, along with Hi-Tech International. Three pilot-scale machines with three different functions which replicate the process of a full-scale harvester were made available.

A second trial was held in New South Wales in 2004, in which different machinery was used, and third hemp variety, CHG, of Chinese stock, was grown by Phil Warner of EcoFibre Ltd in conjunction with Keith Bolton from Southern Cross University. The CHG variety also rendered a lower percentage of fibre than Chameleon.

One aspect of both trials is the high levels of moisture in green hemp (up to 77%), and drying the plants was a large part of the work. Sun drying and wringing out the stems by machine were two methods utilised. One reason for drying the fibre is to reduce the weight for transport, which can add prohibitively to the cost of development.

Since this study, BioRegional has conducted a third trial, in Rochford, Essex, with 10 acres planted with three varieties; however, data from this was not available at the time so this is expected to appear in a subsequent issue.

The UK is at present investigating the use of hemp for many reasons, although the revival of a UK hemp textile industry is a difficult undertaking, especially as the UK has ceased to be a textile producing nation. The majority of hemp textiles are manufactured in China at present. However, there are economic and ecological reasons to pursue this research in other areas, including the development of a hemp industry in troubled regions, such as Afghanistan, where it could well replace the opium poppy.

BioRegional's research is at the cutting edge, and will no doubt be used to a large degree in the near future as the hemp industry worldwide increases. According to Riddlestone and her colleagues, world total consumption of textile fibres stands at ca. 56m tonnes (for 2003), of which cotton accounted for 19.5m tonnes, and polyester staple fiber 9.25m tonnes. Flax production was roughly 250,000 tonnes, and hemp was but 70,000 tonnes.

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EUROPEAN HEMP INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION 4th ANNUAL MEETING

On 21 & 22 November, 2006 the EIHA held an international conference in Germany. 90 Hemp experts from 23 countries attended. Among the highlights were: A report from Erik Shi of Yunnan Industrial Hemp Inc. who reported on the tremendous growth rate in the Chinese hemp industry; reports from Canada note that there are now 50,000 acres under cultivation exclusively for food use, mostly sold to their southern neighbour; Daniel Kruso of Hempro International, a German firm, talked about the nature of hemp trading in Europe, which he noted was mainly e-commerce and farm shops; Bengt Svennerstedt of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences talked about interest from IKEA, Volvo and Saab in hemp fibres for industrial applications.; from the Czech Republic Jaroslav Skoumal of CANABIA told the assembled about the resurgence of hemp in his country, which now has 2,500 acres under cultivation; Italy's Gruppo Fibranova was represented by Cesare Tofani, who talked about the reintroduction of hemp to the Italian textile industry, for which seperation into high grade long fibres, priced at 2.5-3 Euros/kg and processed by enzyme retting and wet spinning, was under way; more on hemp fibre processing was discussed by Marcel Toonen of Plant Research International from Holland; Asian participants weighed in on the pressing matter of deveopling hemp textiles to replace cotton, which is becoming a pest plant all over the world; Bernd Frank of Badische Naturfaseraufbereitung, a German company, talked about a new Dutch cultivar, Chameleon, which yields a bright fibre which is easy to decorticate; Michael Carus, managing director of another German outfit, nova-Institut, held forth on the use of hemp fibres in the automotive industry, which used 19,000 tons of natural fibres in 2005; From France, Pierre Bouloc and Francois Desanlis reported on R&D into paper, including projects utilising the hurd.

For a more detailed report, contact me at cotingas@hotmail.com and I can send as an attachment a lengthier write up on the event.

HEMP IN ESSEX

Yesterday, 4 August, Dru Lawson of the Hemp Trading Co. (www.thtc.co.uk) gave me a ride out to Rochford in Essex to view a hemp harvest, to which Sue Riddlestone and Emily Stott of BioRegional had kindly invited us. We were joined with researchers from Leeds University and Cranfield University and Jane Taylor of Positive News.

Three varieties, Santhika, Fedora and Chameleon stood about 8 feet (2.6metres) high, waving their green buds in the wind. Living emerald is how James Lane Allen described hemp in 1900, and this lived up to his words; Chameleon, in my opinion, in its lovely chartreuse tone, even exceeded them.

The plots were grown to test green decortication techniques and study stem cell structure with a view to facilitating a UK hemp textile industry. The green fibres, stripped from the inner hurds, were quite wet in this state and had to be pressed between two rollers to remove moisture. Further processes will be needed to rend them into cloth.

At present the hemp textile industry is centred in China and Romania. Italy was for some time renowned for producing the finest fibres, grown in the Piedmont region. Hemp is grown in Italy now for Giorgio Armani.

There are economic reasons for developing a hemp textile industry in any country, but there are also ecological reasons, the main one being the fact that cotton, at present the number 1 textile fibre in the world, uses up water and requires pesticides. (see related posts on cotton on this blog with the word search feature).

Sue gave me a copy of a book, Bioregional Solutions: For Living on One Planet, writtten by herself and Pooran Desai (both founders of BioRegional). In it (Chapter 7, "Hemp, Clothes and Fair Trade"), there is a good account of cotton, which the authors assert, is the "world's most water-intensive crop."

Cotton is grown mainly in the US, Israel, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Uzbekistan. This last country is the fifth largest producer, supplying 90% of the UK's demand in the '90s. This industry has turned the Aral Sea and its surroundings into a disaster, shutting down the commercial fishing industry and devastating wildlife, including migratory birds. Local farms are unable to carry on, so there is a shortage of fresh, local produce. Such facts are brought out in their book and are quite enough to show that cotton is an unsustainable crop.

HRH Prince Charles, who graced the book with a foreword, takes an interest in the future of his country and writes: "In a world dominated by the short-term, the need for constructive thinking about our long-term future on this planet, based on wisdom and enduring values, has never been greater."

Hemp cultivation is one part of that wisdom, and it is good to see those lanky, emerald and chartreuse stalks swaying gently in the Essex wind.

GM MAKES YOU SICK TO YOUR STOMACH:

HEMP FOODS ARE GM FREE

In Chapter XXIV of Hemp for Victory, there is a discussion about GM foods and what this bodes for hemp. Generally, hemp is GM-free. All the approved varieties are, and so the websites proclaiming that all UK hemp or all Canadian hemp is GM free are entirely correct in this assertion.

At some stages, hemp has been used to perform GM trials, including the fibre variety Chameleon, used in European tests several years ago. Hemp lends itself to varietal experimentation, it is much like the rose plant which gives us so many types, but is still one species.

Researching GM foods was an eye-opener, there was lots of abuse and disinformation in the industry and in print. Dr. James Watson was noted to remark that the scientists ought to play God. Idiot savants are more than happy to, and it is now a problem world-wide.

One point made in the chapter was that apiarists were having trouble with unwanted GM pollen that would travel considerable distances; GM was insinuating itself into the honey jar.

Sour as this certainly is, there is worse news. GM corn, sprayed with a GM-resistant herbicide, is now posing a problem to our stomachs. Worse, the herbicide is very close to a human protein, and can act on our nervous system. Like, it gets on our nerves. Wow, some sceintific advance. Far ****ing out.

The corn in question is Liberty Link. Get it in your gut and you may not last too long.

BTW, feel free to pass around this warning so others can take heed.

In the meantime, enjoy your GM-free hemp foods.