Nutritional

Fast-Growing Canadian Company is Vigorously Expanding into New Markets

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Hemp foods are one of the hottest health food trends in North America, and a fast-growing Canadian company is demonstrating that there is a healthy appetite for nutritious hemp foods overseas, too. Due to a vigorous international sales initiative over the past few years by Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils (www.manitobaharvest.com), exports of their hemp foods beyond North America have skyrocketed more than 500% over the past year. So far in 2009, the company has exported products to eight nations (in addition to the United States) including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan.

Now that medical researchers, nutrition experts and chefs in the U.S. and Canada are demonstrating that hemp is a nutritious and eco-friendly superfood with vast culinary applications, the company is using this backing and their eleven years of experience educating consumers to cultivate interest in markets around the globe. Their success has not happened by chance. Manitoba Harvest employees have been busy traveling overseas to research market opportunities and to meet with retailers, food manufacturers, distributors and consumers.

Video showing Farm Aid's press event from the 2009 concert in Maryland Heights, Missouri on October 4, 2009.

Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Rhonda Perry (of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center) all talk about Farm Aid's actions in the past and the current hope for positive change to keep family farmers on their land.

Neil Young & Willie Nelson - Home Grown Farm Aid 2009

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TwealJr2i4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pV4scNkJvw

Researchers with the University of Manitoba are confident the nutritional benefits of hemp seed in human food products can be effectively applied to livestock rations, reports Bruce Cochrane for Farmscape Canada.

By AllAboutFeed.net

Hemp products are not currently approved for use in any class of livestock diet but hemp-based products are widely used in human nutrition.

To generate data to support the registration of hemp products in livestock rations researchers are evaluating the safety and effectiveness of hemp seed as a feed ingredient in poultry diets.

Dr Jim House, the head of the University of Manitoba's Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, says studies have shown hemp protein to be highly digestible and that should carry over to most major classes of livestock.

Clip-Dr. Jim House-University of Manitoba: http://www.farmscape.com/2009/10/FS102709.mp3

“Right now we're looking at three different classes of hemp products, the hemp seed, the hemp oil and the hemp meal or the protein concentrate,” House said at Farmscape.

“We're looking at doing production trials in both laying hens and in broiler chickens and generating data on performance, on any issues related to health indices and we're also going to be collecting data on the quality of the eggs and on the meats of the broiler chickens.”

By Eric Stan

Many people would dismiss arthritis as a simple and natural process of aging when in fact it is not. It is a crippling disease; slow yet debilitating. Arthritis has many forms and accompanying painful symptoms. Somehow, in the advent of modern-day technology and medical breakthroughs, we look for an organic alternative way of battling arthritis knowing that it is safer and economical yet effective.

Arthritis simply means inflammation of the joints. We have a variety of joints in our body and this condition pertains to the swelling and pain that occurs in the affected area of someone inflicted with it.

What happens to the affected area is coined as “cartilage and bone gravel.” Due to the overstretching of muscles which cause damage to the joints, what is left of the bones as well as the cartilage, would forcefully rub against each other which causes throbbing pain as well as worsening the damage of the affected joints. This continues to happen over and over again; it becomes a painful cycle and it gets worse over time.

Although it seems to be a dead end, there are lots of alternative natural treatment options available and there is one that will suit your criteria perfectly.

Every man-made fiber we wear, sit on, cook with, drive in, are by-products of the petroleum industry -- all of which could be replaced by hemp.

By Dara Colwell, AlterNet

As the recession renews interest in the growing hemp marketplace as a potential boon for the green economy -- even Fox Business News has touted it -- hemp is becoming impossible to ignore.

But the plant's potential extends far beyond consumer-generated greenbacks. A low-input, low-impact crop, industrial hemp can play a significant role in our desperate shuffle to avoid catastrophic climate change.

"In terms of sustainability, there are numerous reasons to grow hemp," says Patrick Goggin, a board member on the California Council for Vote Hemp, the nation's leading industrial-hemp advocacy group.

Goggin launches into its environmental benefits: Hemp requires no pesticides; it has deep digging roots that detoxify the soil, making it an ideal rotation crop -- in fact, hemp is so good at bioremediation, or extracting heavy metals from contaminated soil, it's being grown near Chernobyl.

Hemp is also an excellent source of biomass, or renewable, carbon-neutral energy, and its cellulose level, roughly three times that of wood, can be used for paper to avoid cutting down trees, an important line of defense against global warming.

By FoodBizDaily

French Meadow Bakery™ has introduced two new tortillas to its lineup: Hemp Tortilla and Organic Wheat and Sprouted Grain.

Both tortillas feature sprouted living grains for greater health. Sprouting grains before the baking produces living nutrient-rich food. Research suggests the sprouting process increases vitamin content and it neutralizes grains through enzymatic activity. This process breaks down amino acid proteins which aids in greater digestibility.

The Hemp Tortillas are loaded with hempseed, flaxseed and organic pumpkin seeds. They are high in whole grain fiber and protein as well as offer a rich source of omega 3 and 6. Additionally, the tortillas are yeast-free, high in protein and fiber, vegan, and have no added oils or sweeteners. The Suggested Retail Price range for the Hemp Tortilla is $4.32-$4.80; and Organic Wheat and Sprouted Grain Tortilla is $3.42-$3.80. The new 7-inch tortillas join the existing Fat Flush Tortillas, sold in 6-inch and 10-inch sizes.

Elizabeth Naffziger, Marketing Manager at French Meadow Bakery, said the new tortillas are a great example of the company’s passion and drive to constantly be inventive.

“Every product we make is made with a specific purpose…keeping our customers’unique tastes and needs in mind,” she noted.

Please visit www.frenchmeadow.com or call (877) 669-3278.

Source:

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils partnered with Renewable Choice Energy to offset 100 percent of their production facility's electricity with wind power offsets, and all of their facility's natural gas usage through carbon offsets. Renewable Energy Credits, like those purchased by Manitoba Harvest, are verified, certified and audited by Green-e, a widely respected non-profit program. The purchase of Renewable Energy Credits allows companies like Manitoba Harvest to guarantee the electricity they consume is replaced with clean power.

In 2008, Manitoba Harvest installed many environmentally-friendly features into their new organic processing facility in Winnipeg including energy efficient lighting, R20 insulation to lower heating and cooling costs, and energy efficient HVAC heating and cooling systems approved by the Manitoba Hydro Power Smart Program.

Founded in 1998, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils is the largest farmer-owned, vertically integrated hemp food manufacturer in the world. The company mission is to create the healthiest hemp foods, to educate the public about healthy lifestyle choices and to support sustainable and organic agriculture.

Source: http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/hotnews/manitoba-offsets-elect...

By AP

Long known for its strength and durability in products like clothing and paper, hemp might prove to be just as beneficial in another medium: food.

Turns out, hemp is a leading source of protein, especially beneficial for vegetarians and vegans, and contains all 10 essential amino acids. It's high in fiber, and it tastes good, too, if an acquired taste.

Christina Volgyesi, of Portland, Ore., stumbled upon hemp protein powder during a trip home from Canada.

"I really just became amazed," a founding partner of Living Harvest said during a recent phone interview.

Flaxseed oil is often prescribed by nutritionists for people wanting to get more essential fatty acids in their diet, but Margaret Hluch, demo chef at MOrganic Market in Frederick, Md., said hempseed oil is just as good.

"Not everyone can convert flaxseeds into their body," said Lissa Butler, wellness associate at MOM and also an herbal practitioner. "Hemp is easier for us to assimilate. And it tastes better," Hluch added.

Volgyesi and her husband began experimenting with hemp seeds, making their own hemp milk in a blender. They added sweeteners, like agave nectar and honey, until they found a recipe they liked.

Soon after, they became the founding partners of Living Harvest, a company that now offers an array of hemp products, including hemp milk in five flavors (original, unsweetened original, vanilla, unsweetened vanilla and chocolate).

By Kathryn Glass, FOXBusiness

Hemp could be coming to a farm near you, and some legislators argue that that is a very good thing.

The Industrial Hemp Farming Act was introduced Friday by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). The bill would make it legal for U.S. farmers to raise "non-psychotative industrial hemp," a product which is used in soap, rope, clothing and even food.

Nine other U.S. House members, both Republicans and Democrats, gave their support to the bill. It is legal to import industrial hemp, but current drug policy prohibits it from being grown by American farmers.

"Indeed, the founders of our nation, some of whom grew hemp, would surely find that federal restrictions on farmers growing a safe and profitable crop on their own land are inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee of a limited, restrained federal government,” said Rep. Ron Paul during his introduction of the bill.

Proponents of the bill say industrial hemp is significantly different from marijuana -- that there’s no detectable THC and that hemp seed has a multitude of nutritional benefits. Arjan Stephens, vice president of marketing for Nature’s Path, a Canadian-based organic food maker, said his company, which uses hemp seed in its granola, oatmeal and waffle products, would benefit greatly from this legislation, because it would open up a greater supply and change perceptions of hemp.

By Rev. Steven Thompson

Where did the word ‘marijuana” come from?

In the mid 1930s, the “m-word” was created to tarnish the good image and phenomenal history of the hemp plant.

The tricks

From 1921 to 1932 Andrew Mellon was the treasurer and Dupont paint’s primary investor. He appointed his future nephew-in-law, Harry Anslinger, to head the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

Secret meetings were held by these financial tycoons. Hemp was declared dangerous and a threat to their billion dollar enterprises.

For their dynasties to remain intact, hemp had to go. These men took an obscure Mexican slang word, “marihuana,” and pushed it into the consciousness of America.

Media manipulation

A media blitz of yellow journalism raged in the late 1920s and 1930s. Hearst’s newspapers ran stories emphasizing the horrors of marihuana. The menace of marihuana made headlines. Readers learned that it was responsible for everything from car accidents to loose morality.

Films like ‘Reefer Madness’ (1936), ‘Marihuana: Assassin of Youth’ (1935) and ‘Marihuana: The Devil’s Weed’ (1936) were propaganda designed by these industrialists to create an enemy.

Their purpose was to gain public support so that anti-marihuana laws could be passed.

Examine the following quotes from “Reefer Madness”:

* A violent narcotic acts of shocking violence.

* Incurable insanity.

* Soul-destroying effects.

The Fast-Growing Canadian Company Exhibits at Leading Organic Shows in Germany & United Kingdom

By Food Biz Daily

Winnipeg, Manitoba – One of the fastest growing private companies in Canada is fueling its growth by expanding further into the vast organic food marketplace in the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU). Today, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils is announcing its new partnership with Re-Action Sales (www.reactionsales.com) of Middlesex, UK to distribute their hemp food products throughout the UK. Earlier this year, Manitoba Harvest forged a partnership with Hempro International (www.hempro.com) to distribute their nutritious foods in Germany.

“We’re capitalizing on more than a decade of experience as a hemp foods pioneer and innovator in North America to penetrate organic markets in Europe with innovative hemp products like our organic hempmilk,” says Mike Fata, President and co-founder of Manitoba Harvest (www.manitobaharvest.com). “We began selling hemp foods in Europe in 2006, and our sales have doubled in each of the years since,” says Fata. “People everywhere are finding out that hemp foods are extremely nutritious - and then they try them and discover that they have a delicious nutty flavour and gourmet appeal,” he adds.

The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009

By Joe Kennelly, Seattle Drug Policy Examiner

Texas Republican Ron Paul, along with ten co-sponsors, is once again seeking to allow for the commercial farming of industrial hemp.

House Bill 1866, The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009, would exclude low potency varieties of marijuana from federal prohibition. If approved, this measure will grant state legislatures the authority to license and regulate the commercial production of hemp as an industrial and agricultural commodity.

Several states -- including North Dakota, Montana, and Vermont -- have enacted regulations to allow for the cultivation of hemp under state law. However, none of these laws can be implemented without federal approval. Passage of HR 1866 would remove existing federal barriers and allow states that wish to regulate commercial hemp production the authority to do so.

By Andy Birkey, Minnesota Independent

State Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, passed out chocolate truffles topped with industrial hemp seeds at the House Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday. The nutritious seeds are legal to buy in Minnesota as food, but once they sprout, they are considered marijuana and subject to harsh legal penalties. A bill Kahn sponsored that would allow for the agricultural production of hemp passed the committee on Wednesday.

“It’s the one product that we can buy here, but we can’t grow it here,” said Thom Peterson of the Minnesota Farmers Union. Peterson hopes that one day farmers will have an alternative crop in industrial hemp.

The chief supporter of industrial hemp in the United States is an unlikely figure: David Monson, the Republican Speaker of the North Dakota House. He’s a farmer near the Canadian border whose neighbors were growing hemp while his barley crop was failing because of a blight. His efforts helped Minnesota’s neighbors to the west move forward with industrial hemp and its production.

Kahn said concerns that hemp farmers would clandestinely grow the similar-looking marijuana plant among fields of hemp were unfounded. “They would both cross-pollinate and ruin each other,” Kahn said, and the marijuana plants would be rendered useless as a drug, she said. “I understand you’d have to smoke an eighth before [feeling any effects].”

by Fred Delkin, Oregon Magazine

Timing, as they say, can be crucial in determining success or failure, be it sports or business. That truism is certainly appropriate in chronicling an Oregon entrepreneur's spectacular upward climb. Bob Moore, 80 years young, has piloted his Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods into a global sales success in just three decades since its founding in 1978. This privately held enterprise flys under the flag inscribed "whole grain foods for every meal of the day" and pumps out over 400 products that have moved into the mainstream grocery trade with a 20% per annum sales growth and now employs a staff of 170 in a new corporate milling, warehousing, distribution and retail store complex in a Milwaukie, OR industrial park. This supports sales now in double digit millions, with a network of domestic and overseas distributors.

By Lauren LaRocca, News-Post Staff
Photo by Sam Yu

Margaret Hluch of MOM -- My Organic Market in Frederick -- pours a sample of hemp milk. The market also carries a variety of hemp-based products besides hemp milk.

Long known for its strength and durability in products like clothing and paper, hemp might prove to be just as beneficial in another medium: food.

Turns out, hemp is a leading source of protein (especially beneficial for vegetarians and vegans), it contains all 10 essential amino acids, it's high in fiber, and it tastes good, too, if an acquired taste.

Christina Volgyesi, originally from Canada but now living in Portland, Ore., stumbled upon hemp protein powder during a trip home after never having seen it in the States.

"I really just became amazed," she said during a recent phone interview.

She and her husband began experimenting with hemp seeds, making their own hemp milk in a blender. They added sweeteners, like agave nectar and honey, until they found a recipe they liked.

Soon after, they became the founding partners of Living Harvest, a company that now offers an array of hemp products, including hemp milk in five flavors (original, unsweetened original, vanilla, unsweetened vanilla and chocolate).

In April, they'll launch their ice cream line.

"I've always been interested in nutrition as a way of life," said Volgyesi, now the vice president of marketing for the company.

By Sylence Dogood, Hemp News Staff

There is one thing that we all have in common: this tiny planet we share. Today the world is throwing around terms like "sustainability" and "green living" but what does that really mean? Cannabis sativa, also known as Hemp, is one of the most diverse plants on the planet, and could literally supply most of humankinds needs for fuel, food, clothing, building products, and medicine.

Despite its usefulness, hemp is illegal to grow in the United States. This simple plant, Cannabis, can be put to use in many ways. It would fill so many needs and put our country on a path toward sustainability. A forward-thinking attitude toward hemp and cannabis would create jobs, revitalize our farming communities, boost tourism, and create millions of dollars in revenue for the country.

US agriculture will thrive; the potential is too great to ignore any longer. It is my goal as a writer for Hemp News to participate in the great Hemp discussion and possibly help to educate our readers. Please take the time to examine the benefits of the Cannabis plant, and it's potential influence in all aspects of our society.

It is my hope that one day this plant will be free to grow and use as each individual desires. Whether it be building fiber for a house, yarn fiber for a shirt, pressed seed oil for energy, delicious hemp flour for food, or the beautiful flowers full of medicine and relaxation. Cannabis sativa is a blessing to this planet and we must embrace the possibilities.

By Staff Writer, Jamestown Sun

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for 2009 industrial hemp production licenses. "The applications are due Jan. 1," said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. "Although the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration continues to prevent holders of state licenses from growing industrial hemp, NDDA remains committed to fully implementing state laws authorizing the production, processing and sale of this crop in North Dakota."

Source: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n1106/a04.html

[MAP - Hemp]

By Murray McNeill, Winnipeg Free Press

These are high times for hemp.

Not only is demand for hemp products skyrocketing -- Canadian hemp seed exports increased by 300 per cent and hemp oil exports by 85 per cent from 2006 to 2007 -- but one of the country's oldest and largest hemp food producers, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils, is moving into a new state-of-the-art processing plant this week that will boost its production capacity by 500 per cent.

And Wednesday, the federal and provincial governments added icing to the cake with the unveiling of a new national strategy for developing the hemp industry in Canada.

"In the last 10 years, the Canadian hemp industry has grown from an emerging niche market to a point where we are now being recognized as a global leader in hemp production," said Mike Fata, chairman of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) and president and co-founder of Manitoba Harvest Hemp.

"With the province's support, this hemp strategy has given us a road map to new opportunities and continued growth of the hemp industry in Canada."

Fata said the creation of a national strategy gives the industry instant credibility.

"It proves the industry is here and it's not just a fad."

The strategy was announced on the second day of the CHTA's two-day annual meeting and technology conference in Winnipeg.

More than 100 delegates from Canada, the United States, Europe and Korea attended the event, designed to bring industry players up to date on the latest developments within the global hemp industry.

By Staff, country-guide.ca

Market research and development, quality control and processing capacity are among the goals of a new national strategy mapped out by Canada's industrial hemp growers.

The strategy was rolled out Wednesday at the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance's meeting in Winnipeg, mapping out the market potential and obstacles in the food, fibre and oil markets, as well as in hemp production and plant breeding.

Manitoba was among the "earliest adopters" of industrial hemp as a crop, as well as the necessary processing technologies, provincial Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk said in a release. The provincial and federal governments funded the strategy's development through their joint Agri-Food Research and Development Initiative (ARDI).

"This new strategy shows how far we've come while also identifying the opportunities and challenges that we must tackle for sustainable growth," she said.

Among the supports needed from private and public business and research partners for a hemp industry, as per the new strategy, are:

* development of commercial-scale hemp fibre processing and cost-effective hemp oil processing, plus access to risk capital for processing and manufacturing projects in those markets;

* domestic and international market research, as well as work to maintain existing market access;

* gauging the environmental and economic advantages of using hemp-based products compared to petroleum-based products;

by Dr. Edward Group

Though its name might be a bit misleading, organic hemp milk is a perfectly legal, not to mention healthy, alternative for vegetarians or non vegetarians. Produced from the seeds of the hemp plant, this milk has only begun to be sold in the United States within the past few years.

One concern that people have about organic hemp milk is that it might contain some of the chemical THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is found in marijuana. Rest assured that this ingredient is not present or associated with hemp milk.

Another concern is that the hemp seeds must be imported since it’s currently not legal to grow the hemp plant in the US. Some hemp milk producers have to rely on obtaining hemp seeds from farmers in Canada or Europe, where the growth of hemp plants for oil or milk is perfectly legal.

Health Benefits of Organic Hemp Milk

Organic hemp milk is also a great alternative to toxic cow’s milk and those who cannot consume dairy because of dietary issues.

One 8-Ounce glass contains the following healthy nutrients:

* 900mg Omega-3 Fatty Acid

* 2800mg Omega-6 Fatty Acid

* All 10 Essential Amino Acids

* 4 grams of Digestible Protein

* 46% of RDA of Calcium

* 0% Cholesterol

* Potassium

* Phosphorous

* Riboflavin

* Vitamin A

* Vitamin E

* Vitamin B12

* Folic Acid

* Vitamin D

* Magnesium

* Iron

* Zinc

* And more…

How To Make Your Own Organic Hemp Milk!

Ingredients:

hemp 1 cup hemp seeds (shelled)

hemp 5-6 cups of purified water

By Dr. Joey Shulman

The top five nutrients for health

1. Essential fats: Your body can't make essential fats on its own so you need to get these fats from your diet.

Recommendations from The National Institutes of Health suggest that you should consume at least two per cent of your total daily calories as omega 3 fats; so if you consume 2,000 calories per day, you need at least 2 grams of omega 3 fats.

You can find omega 3 fats in: cold water fish (salmon, tuna and halibut), fish oils, walnuts, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil.

Optimal food sources of omega 6 essential fat include: borage oil, hemp, evening primrose oil, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Source: http://homemakers.com/Health&Fitness/nutrition/5-power-nutrients-your-bo...

By CHELSI MOY of the Missoulian

This little seed can be roasted, toasted, fried, frozen, poured, stored and baked.

When it comes to hemp - and the seeds it produces - the possibilities are endless. And that's no hallucination.

This week, local Missoula business owners tested the limits of hemp seeds in various culinary delights, from hemp milk lattes, to pizza and breakfast muffins. Highlighting the high-nutrition ingredient at local eateries is all part of Hemp Food Week, an event building up to this weekend's 13th annual Hempfest at Caras Park.

The fundraiser by the Montana Hemp Council aims to increase awareness of the versatility of hemp, which is harvested for paper, fiber, food and fuel.

Although hemp and marijuana come from the same type of plant, they are different varieties. Hemp contains less than 1 percent of the ingredient that makes pot users “high.” Still, neither is legal to grow in the United States.

“(Hemp) has 25,000 uses,” said Andrea Behunin of the Montana Hemp Council. “It's not marijuana. You're not going to get

high from it. It is good for you.”

Hemp seeds remind Bob Marshall, owner of Biga Pizza in downtown Missoula, of sesame seeds. Or more specifically, tahini, which is made from sesame seeds and used to make hummus.

BY Mari Kane

Cannabis Hemp really can provide all the basic necessities of life: food, shelter, clothing and medicine. It has been said that, "anything made from a hydrocarbon can be made from a carbohydrate."
Hemp is the cousin of marijuana. They are from the same plant - Cannabis sativa L. There are over 400 strains of Cannabis Hemp bred for various uses. The term, "Hemp" refers to the industrial use of the stalk and seed. "Cannabis", or "marijuana", refers to the smoking of the flowers. Intoxication requires high levels of THC TetraHydroCannabinol. Industrial hemp contains only .3%-1.5% THC. By contrast, cannabis contains 5%-10% or more THC.
The plant itself is easy to grow in temperate climates, and requires good soil, fertilizer and water, but no pesticides nor herbicides. A hemp crop is usually harvested in 120 days after reaching a height of 10-15 feet. At that point one can make it into whatever suits their needs.

FOOD
The hempseed is the only source of food from the hemp plant. It is not really a seed, but an achene- a nut covered with a hard shell. Hempseed is used for people and animal food, medicinal preparations, and industrial use.

Whole Seed