Industrial Hemp

Rich Valley Hemp partners with Alberta Hemp Works in industrial Hemp projects, and market development. Rich Valley Hemp purchases seeds from Alberta Hemp Worksto plant industrial hemp and sell it back to Alberta Hemp Works. The missing link:  fibre processing Alberta Hemp Works develops and sells hemp products that use the entire hemp plant. They believe that building and sustaining Alberta's hemp industry depends on "whole plant utilization" and maximizing the potential of hemp fibre. The missing link is decortication or processing capacity, turning raw stalks into usable hurd and bast fibre. They want farmers to be able to market their hemp straw, rather than burn it and for manufacturers to buy local, rather than import. Decorticated materials can be used immediately or processed further for hundreds of different applications. See products Both partners hope to develop a sustainable future market for hemp-based products.

Hemp has a huge potential for biofuel production as it is low-maintenance and has a high yield per hectare. It grows easily, even in the most unfavorable soil conditions. Hemp seeds are also easy to cultivate, can be grown in most soil types and do not need large quantities of fertilizer. Hemp, unlike other biofuel feedstocks requires very little to no fertilizer during its growth process and is a more sustainable option than other biofuel feedstocks. The plant has the potential to produce ethanol and methanol, which are essential for producing biofuel. It is more sustainable than petroleum products. In fact, it is so environmentally friendly that it can grow in any climate, thereby leaving the ground in a better condition than before. Hemp also has high yields, meaning it can last for longer periods of time. A hemp plant doesn’t emit harmful emissions. Advantages of Hemp Biofuel The plant has […]

Hemp has carbon benefits Hemp has a carbon content of between 2 and 4 percent. This makes it an excellent candidate for carbon sequestration. Hemp can store carbon at a rate between four to fifteen tonnes an acre. One acre of hemp could offset one person’s annual carbon emissions at this rate. But the benefits don’t end there. Hemp can also be used as a source of biofuel. Some studies actually show that hemp can be used to offset CO2 emissions from more than one person. Biosequestration Hemp’s carbon benefits go far beyond the reduction of greenhouse gases. The plant is able to reintegrate CO2 back into the soil through biosequestration. To make charcoal-like biochar, the hemp is slowly smolded after harvest. The biochar is mixed with soil to stop CO2 being released into our atmosphere. As the construction industry accounts for over 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, hemp […]

The Sober Cousin of Cannabis When we think of Cannabis sativa, we’re quick to prioritize its medicinal or recreational value. But this plant is so much more. Hemp is marijuana’s “sober cousin”, and its remarkable uses date back thousands of years and span the entire globe. In 1938, Popular Mechanics magazine highlighted the value of hemp, stating that more than 30,000 products could be made from the plant! No one has time to hear about the 30,000 ways hemp could be used—but here are 4 ways hemp sustainability is contributing to the future. Hemp Sustainability Explained Hemp is technically a weed (so that’s where the nickname comes from). The plant’s growth is prolific. It doesn’t require pesticides, uses little water, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and is biodegradable. It produces pulp at rates higher per acre than trees. It removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and returns nutrients [...]

Sometimes it feels likes we can hardly move without bumping into words like ethical, sustainable, eco-friendly and green. They’re pretty impressive words – tied up with messages about saving the world and supporting the environment –  but what do they actually mean…? 1. Hemp Breathes in Co2 Hemp is basically nature’s purifier. The plant rapidly captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and makes what we breathe much cleaner. In fact, for every tonne of hemp produced, 1.63 tonnes of carbon is removed from the air (which makes hemp a much more effective sequester of Carbon Dioxide than trees). 2. Hemp Regenerates the Soil The stem and leaves of the hemp plant are jam-packed with nutrients. As the plant matures and the seed grows, leaf matter falls to the ground and decomposes replenishing the soil with goodness ready for the next crop. And after harvesting, the remnants of the hemp plant […]

It is madness, not reefer madness, to keep hemp on the Canadian list of restricted crops. Low THC hemp is often referred to as a form of marijuana, with all the gravity that giggling about it will allow. But for Canadian farmers, the restriction is no laughing matter. It’s a restriction on a potential crop. About 80,000 acres of industrial hemp were grown in Canada last year by 732 farmers. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario lead the way in production. Most of those acres were harvested for their cannabidiol (CBD) oil and for commercial seed, and it is also grown for fibre. Each of those producers, and another 500 or so who are also registered to grow it, had to undergo a criminal record check and provide a detailed plan of production and handling. While this weeds out the competition, it also restricts economies of scale that would attract more processors […]

With its fast growth and significant biomass yield, second on land only to bamboo, hemp supports efficient land use. Research is underway in various locations to provide robust documentation to support hemp environmental claims. This includes: Once established, the hemp plant thrives well against competitors. Therefore, it may lessen the introduction of chemical inputs into the hemp industry as compared to some other commercial crops. Hemp maybe useful in carbon footprinting equations, as on average, it yields 4 times the biomass of an average forest in 90 days compared to 25 years in tree growth. Hemp is thought to provide a valuable break in a crop rotation for the purposes of disease and pest management. Hemp’s root system can break up compacted soil, it is thought to provide aeration. The roots may also help to control erosion. Hemp may contribute to pollution abatement through its ability to mitigate toxins from [...]

Canadian hemp can produce an impressive amount of vegetative biomass in a range from 2t/ha to 10 t/ha depending on cultivar. Hemp biomass offers several components: fiber (found in the bark/outer skin) about 25 to 30 percent of the stalk, hurd (woody inner portion of the hemp stalk), and dust screenings/particulates). Processing provides pure elements, as well as blends of these components. In comparison with other bast fibers (such as from flax, kenaf, jute, or ramie), hemp fiber has excellent fiber length, strength, durability, absorbency, anti-mildew, and anti-microbial properties. Hemp offers super absorbency. This quality is desirable for oil and gas cleanup, livestock bedding, and personal hygiene markets. Hemp’s very high tensile strength, strength-to-weight ratio, flexural strength, and ability to rebound are desired benefits in bio-composites for automotive parts, aerospace, and packaging. The textile, paper, and building markets have an interest in some specialty applications due to hemp’s durability, anti-microbial, [...]

From CBD oil to car parts, interest is high in cannabis strain Source: How Alberta is poised to become a hub of the hemp industry