Cannabis Industry Celebrates Major Election Victories; Voters Clap Back at War on Drugs
This article originally appeared on LetsTalkHemp.com
By Steven Hoffman
As the counting of votes continues to decide who won the presidential and some too-close-to-call congressional elections the day after Election Day in the U.S., cannabis industry advocates are celebrating a number of victories in key states where marijuana has been legalized, and where other drugs have been decriminalized.
In New Jersey, the Garden State, 67% of voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana for people age 21 and over. The state commission that regulates the legal medical marijuana market in New Jersey also will oversee the new recreational market, which, according to Bloomberg News, is expected to generate $1.9 billion in sales in the state, resulting in $126 million in sales tax revenue, according to estimates from New Jersey’s Office of Legislative Services.
In all, five more states approved ballot measures legalizing cannabis use for adults, including Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota. Prior to yesterday’s election, 11 states and Washington, D.C., had legalized marijuana.
In an additional blow to the U.S.’ war on drugs, voters in Oregon yesterday made it the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. “Today’s victory is a landmark declaration that the time has come to stop criminalizing people for drug use,” Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which backed the measure, told the Associated Press (AP).
Oregon voters also approved a ballot initiative making the state the first to legalize therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms. In addition, a ballot initiative in the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) to decriminalize the use of psychedelic mushrooms and other psychedelic plants and fungi appeared to have a commanding lead in yesterday’s election, reported the Washington Post.
Voter Attitudes About Drugs Are Changing
In Arizona, voters in 2016 had narrowly defeated a marijuana legalization proposal. However, attitudes have changed as the state legalized non-medical use of marijuana for adults age 21 and over. In addition, the Arizona initiative allows individuals convicted of certain marijuana crimes to seek expungement of their records, reported AP.
Despite Governor Kristi Noem’s position against hemp and marijuana, South Dakota residents yesterday voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults age 21 and older. Voters in South Dakota passed the ballot measure by a 53-47 margin, reported Argus Leader.
In the state of Mississippi, voters approved legalizing medical marijuana, and recreational marijuana was approved by voters in Montana. The Montana measure allows for marijuana possession, use and growing among adults age 21 and older, and it also puts the state’s Department of Revenue in charge of establishing and overseeing a commercial system for growing and selling cannabis, with a 20% tax on sales, according to Vox.
According to Fast Company, the historic wins in the 2020 election for cannabis and against the U.S.’ seemingly endless war on drugs should have a positive impact on cannabis stock prices following the election. Politico reported that with the addition of five more states, one in three Americans now lives in a state where recreational marijuana is legal.
Hemp Scores Victories on Election Day
According to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, hemp industry champions in Congress scored some victories on Election Day 2020:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who led the fight for hemp’s legalization in the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, won reelection by a more than 20 point margin in Kentucky. As of this morning, it is not clear whether McConnell will remain Majority Leader, but even if Democrats seize control of the U.S. Senate, hemp will be secure under the leadership of Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (and McConnell will remain a powerful force as Minority Leader.)
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who has led efforts to pressure the USDA and FDA into support for the hemp and CBD industries, won reelection by a nearly 20 point margin as well.
Cannabis champion Senator Corey Gardner (R-CO) lost by a wide margin, but his victorious opponent, John Hickenlooper, oversaw one of the first successful state hemp programs in Colorado and should be an industry ally.
Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), lead sponsors of HR 8179— critical legislation that would open up a legal pathway for the sale of hemp-derived CBD as a dietary supplement – cruised in their reelection bids.
Reps. David Joyce (R-OH) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), authors of a strong letter to DEA, urging that agency to withdraw its troublesome interim final rule on hemp, won overwhelming re-relection victories.
U.S. Hemp Roundtable also reported “One sour note: longtime hemp champion, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) lost a hard-fought battle for re-election in an overwhelmingly Republican district. The hemp industry owes Rep. Peterson a huge debt of gratitude for his important work on the 2018 Farm Bill, introducing legislation to protect hemp-derived CBD, and most recently, helping secure an extension for states to operate under the 2014 Farm Bill. We look forward to working with his replacement as Chair of the House Agriculture Committee,” the hemp advocacy organization said in a statement.
Read More
Hemp and Election 2020 – U.S. Hemp Roundtable
The Big Winner on Election Night? Drugs – Fast Company
1 in 3 Americans Now Lives in a State Where Recreational Marijuana is Legal – Politico
Marijuana Legalized in 5 More States this Election Day – Associated Press
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Discover the Difference with Bella Viva Orchards® at New Hope Network’s Spark Change Virtual Event
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Discover the Difference with Bella Viva Orchards® at New Hope Network’s Spark Change Virtual Event
Ingredient Buyers and Manufacturers Are Invited to Interact with California-based, Natural and Organic Dried Fruit Supplier at New Hope Network’s Online Event & Expo, November 12 – 13, 2020
What: Discover Bella Viva Orchards at New Hope Network’s Spark Change Product Discovery Zone
When: Thursday, November 12, 2020, Noon – 4:30 PM EST and Friday, November 13, 2020, Noon – 2:00 PM EST
Registration: https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/newreg.php?eventid=561407&
Cost: FREE for industry members. For more information, visit www.sparkchangenow.com
Denair, CA (November 5, 2020) – Bella Viva Orchards®, a leading supplier and processor of natural and certified organic dried fruits is inviting ingredient buyers, manufacturers, distributors, and retail representatives to interact with the California-based team during New Hope Network’s Spark Change Virtual Expo.
New Hope’s Spark Change is an online initiative to unite the natural products industry through product discovery, networking, and information. Bella Viva Orchards will share information about their offerings produced using a revolutionary proprietary method of drying fruits naturally without the use of additives, preservatives, or added sugars.
Visit Bella Viva Orchards’ virtual booth at the ‘Spark Change Product Discovery Zone’ on Thursday, November 12, 2020, Noon – 4:30 PM EST and Friday, November 13, 2020, Noon – 2:00 PM EST. There, participants can learn more about Bella Viva’s product line, request samples, live chat, and even set up a video meeting with one of Bella Viva’s team members – all within the platform.
Bella Viva Orchards is committed to retaining the integrity of the fruit’s flavor, nutrition, and texture. “As a market leader, the secret to our success is in the way we remove the moisture while maximizing all of the desirable characteristics of the fresh fruit. You could say we have set the standard in the industry for natural dried fruit,” says Victor Martino, Co-Owner and Innovator, Bella Viva Orchards.
In addition to a virtual exhibit booth, New Hope Network is featuring Victor and Bella Viva Orchards as part of its Spark Change Soapbox video series. Set amongst the orchards in California’s central valley, Victor explains how Bella Viva Orchards sparks change, “Bella Viva Orchards’ products are made without added sugars – making them a wholesome, healthy choice while not compromising flavor. We spark change by giving ingredient buyers and wholesalers a choice – do you want something with preservatives and additives or the real thing, that we grow and provide as nature intended? It’s that simple.”
Watch Bella Viva Orchard's Spark Change video featuring Co-Owner and Innovator, Victor Martino
Peaches and Pears with Passion
Driven by integrity, authenticity, and passion, Victor and his wife Angela founded Bella Viva Orchards in 1988 and are devoted to farming the land that has been in the Martino family since 1943. The business has been supplying apples, cherries, citrus, pears, peaches and more for over 30 years at its California farm and production facility and has more than 60 years of farming and fruit drying experience. Among its more unique product offerings include dried persimmons, blueberries, blood orange slices, orange chips, and diced, ground, and powdered citrus.
By participating in the Spark Change Virtual Event, Bella Viva Orchards is positioned to serve as an innovative leader in the natural products industry. “Bella Viva Orchards is my life’s work. The fabric of my being is my concern for my fellow humans. Our goal is to enhance the human experience and bring pleasure to the senses and nutrition to the body. This is my vocation - this is what we do,” says Victor Martino.
Bella Viva Orchards not only supports natural and organic agriculture but is committed to aligning with like-minded companies to form socially responsible strategic alliances. Victor adds, “We are vigorously working towards building relationships with like-minded companies and individuals who want to be a part of the movement to provide healthy food choices to the marketplace.”
Spark Change Product Discovery Zone
For more information on Bella Viva Orchards at New Hope Network’s Spark Change Discovery Zone, visit www.sparkchangenow.com. For more details about working with Bella Viva Orchards, email Brean Bettencourt at BBettencourt@bellaviva.com or visit bellavivawholesale.com.
New Hope Network is a leading producer of Natural Products Expo West and Expo East Conferences, which were both cancelled due to the pandemic. Spark Change Virtual was an idea born as a way to unite the industry online, with networking opportunities, presentations and product discovery.
About Bella Viva Orchards, Inc.
Founded in 1988, Bella Viva Orchards is in the heart of California’s “fruit basket” and extensively supplies high quality dried fruits and raw ingredients to many of North America’s leading snack companies, co-manufacturers, and specialty and natural retailers. Bella Viva Orchards, Inc. implements a proprietary method of drying fruit without preservatives or additives of any kind while maintaining color, nutritional content, and integrity of flavor never before achieved within the industry. The entire collection of dried fruits that Bella Villa Orchards produces is minimally processed, free of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and additives. The company practices sustainability efforts and reduces its carbon footprint by upcycling and recycling more than 95% of the waste from its production facility, with the by-products of finished goods going towards livestock feed or compost. For more information about Bella Viva Orchards, visit bellavivawholesale.com.
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Contact
Steven Hoffman, Founder/Managing Director, Compass Natural Marketing, 303.807.1042, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com
Argentina Becomes First Country to Approve GMO Wheat
Photo: Pexels
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s November 2020 Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
Among the first countries in the world to use genetically modified (GMO) crops, including soybeans, corn and cotton, on a large scale in agriculture, Argentina on October 9, 2020, announced it has now become the first nation to approve the use of GMO wheat. The move prompted criticism from Argentina’s agriculture export industry, reported Reuters.
The country approved HB4, a wheat variety genetically engineered to be drought resistant and developed by agricultural biotechnology company Bioceres SA, based in Argentina.
To date, no other country has approved the importation or production of GMO wheat, due to consumer concerns, as wheat is grown primarily for human consumption. According to Reuters, Bioceres said it will only begin marketing the GMO wheat once it is approved for import by Brazil. Brazil is currently the largest importer of wheat produced in Argentina.
“I will not plant HB4 wheat, and I would not recommend that anyone else does, until it has been approved by importing countries. It seems risky in the sense that we could end up with crops that no one wants to buy,” Francisco Santillan, who manages a number of farms in Argentina, told Reuters.
Dave Green, EVP of the Wheat Quality Council, a U.S. trade group, told Reuters, “I don’t hear anything about GMO wheat efforts here. None of our export customers want any.”
Argentina is one of the world’s largest producers of GMO soy and it is among the nation’s leading exports. However, the BBC reported in 2014 that massive synthetic pesticide use in the country as a result of the explosion of GMO agriculture may be linked to skyrocketing rates of cancer and birth defects in the country.
Pandemic Shifts: Whole Foods Market’s Top 10 Food Trends for 2021
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s November 2020 Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
Citing the Covid-19 pandemic, “There have been radical shifts in consumer habits in 2020,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, Chief Marketing Officer of Whole Foods Market, in an October 19, 2020, release announcing the world’s largest natural and organic products retailer’s Top 10 Food Trends forecast for 2021. “For example, shoppers have found new passions for cooking, they’ve purchased more items related to health and wellness, and more are eating breakfast at home every day compared to pre-COVID,” she said.
Entitled The Next Big Things: Top 10 Food Trends for 2021, the annual report highlights the predictions of Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council, comprised of more than 50 team members, including local foragers, regional and global buyers, and culinary experts who “compile trend predictions based on decades of experience and expertise in product sourcing, studying consumer preferences and being on the frontlines with emerging and existing brands,” the company said.
Significantly influenced by the current state of the food industry, Whole Foods’ 2021 trends report reveals some of the early ways the food industry is adapting and innovating in response to COVID-19 for a post-pandemic food world, the company said.
Whole Foods Market’s Top 10 Food Trend Predictions for 2021*
Well-Being is Served – The lines are blurring between the supplement and grocery aisles, and that trend will accelerate in 2021. That means superfoods, probiotics, broths and sauerkrauts. Suppliers are incorporating functional ingredients like vitamin C, mushrooms and adaptogens to foster a calm headspace and support the immune system. For obvious reasons, people want this pronto.
Epic Breakfast Every Day – With more people working from home, the most important meal is getting the attention it deserves, not just on weekends, but every day. There’s a whole new lineup of innovative products tailored to people paying more attention to what they eat in the morning. Think pancakes on weekdays, sous vide egg bites and even “eggs” made from mung beans.
Basics on Fire – With more time in the kitchen, home chefs are looking for hot, new takes on pantry staples. Pasta, sauces, spices — the basics will never be boring again. Get ready for reimagined classics like hearts of palm pasta, applewood-smoked salt and “meaty” vegan soup.
Coffee Beyond the Mug – The love affair between humans and coffee burns way beyond a brewed pot of joe. That’s right, java is giving a jolt to all kinds of food. You can now get your coffee fix in the form of coffee-flavored bars and granolas, smoothie boosters and booze, even coffee yogurt for those looking to crank up that breakfast parfait.
Baby Food, All Grown Up – Thanks to some inspired culinary innovation, parents have never had a wider or richer range of ingredients to choose from. We’re talking portable, on-the-go squeeze pouches full of rhubarb, rosemary, purple carrots and omega-3-rich flaxseeds. Little eaters, big flavors.
Upcycled Foods – Peels and stems have come a long way from the compost bin. We’re seeing a huge rise in packaged products that use neglected and underused parts of an ingredient as a path to reducing food waste. Upcycled foods, made from ingredients that would have otherwise been food waste, help to maximize the energy used to produce, transport and prepare that ingredient. Dig in, do good.
Oil Change – Slide over, olive oil. There’s a different crop of oils coming for that place in the skillet or salad dressing. At-home chefs are branching out with oils that each add their own unique flavor and properties. Walnut and pumpkin seed oils lend a delicious nutty flavor, while sunflower seed oil is hitting the shelves in a bunch of new products and is versatile enough to use at high temps or in salad dressing.
Boozed-up Booch – We tipped you off about hard seltzer bursting on the scene in 2018, and now alcoholic kombucha is making a strong flex on the beverage aisle. Hard kombucha checks all the boxes: It’s gluten-free, it’s super bubbly and can be filled with live probiotic cultures. Cheers to that!
The Mighty Chickpea – You can chickpea anything. Yep, the time has come to think beyond hummus and falafel, and even chickpea pasta. Rich in fiber and plant-based protein, chickpeas are the new cauliflower — popping up in products like chickpea tofu, chickpea flour and even chickpea cereal. That’s garbanzo-bonkers.
Fruit and Veggie Jerky – Jerky isn’t just for meat lovers anymore. Now all kinds of produce from mushrooms to jackfruit are being served jerky-style, providing a new, shelf-stable way to enjoy fruits and veggies. The produce is dried at the peak freshness to preserve nutrients and yumminess. If that’s not enough, suppliers are literally spicing things up with finishes of chili, salt, ginger and cacao drizzle.
Source: The Next Big Things: Top 10 Food Trends for 2021, Whole Foods Market, Oct. 19, 2020
Bipartisan Support Builds for Legislation to Legalize the Sale of Hemp-derived CBD in Dietary Supplements
Photo: Pexels
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s November 2020 Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
Legislation is advancing that potentially bodes well for sellers of dietary supplements made with hemp-derived CBD.
According to reports from the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, 18 members of Congress have signed on in support of a bill introduced in September in the U.S. House of Representatives that would “make hemp, cannabidiol derived from hemp, and any other ingredient derived from hemp lawful for use under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as a dietary ingredient in a dietary supplement, and for other purposes.”
The Bill, H.R. 8179, the Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020, enjoys bipartisan support. If passed, it would allow hemp-derived CBD and other hemp-derived ingredients to be legally marketed as an ingredient in dietary supplements, as long as the products comply with current legal requirements for new dietary ingredients, as well as other requirements pertaining to dietary supplements under federal law.
“In a year when Congress is bitterly divided and has been unable to find agreement on key issues such as pandemic response and aid relief, there is unusual and exciting agreement around a potential bill to allow hemp CBD to be marketed as a dietary supplement, with 18 members from both parties supporting the bill,” said the U.S. Hemp Roundtable in a statement.
“H.R. 8179 … is more than hemp and supplements, however. It represents an opportunity to provide consumers greater product safety and confidence due to regulations, hemp farmers an economic lifeline, and states struggling from reduced revenues a new source of profitable opportunity,” said the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. “Failing to establish a regulatory pathway for legalizing hemp-derived CBD will continue to reduce economic opportunity for U.S. hemp farmers and deny consumers access to safe, quality products. H.R. 8179 would help stabilize the hemp markets, open up a promising economic opportunity for U.S. agriculture and honor the commitment made to growers in the 2018 Farm Bill,” the organization added.
Hemp Can Provide an Economic Stimulus
“Once FDA does legally recognize and regulate CBD products, the hemp industry can provide a needed financial jolt to a nation emerging through economic recovery. Regulatory relief for the hemp-derived CBD industry constitutes an economic stimulus package for the nation’s farmers and small businesses without requiring one dime from the American taxpayer,” the U.S. Hemp Roundtable stated.
“Independent surveys predict that with a regulatory pathway, sales of CBD products would grow from approximately $1.2 billion in 2019 to anywhere from $10.3 billion to $16.8 billion by 2025,” U.S. Hemp Roundtable concluded.
The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use its authority and resources to set a clear regulatory framework for hemp and hemp-derived CBD and assure consumer protection for these products, reported the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) in a release. For marketers of hemp-based CBD in dietary supplements, the bill would eliminate regulatory hurdles and uncertainty that have hampered the category’s growth.
The bill’s lead co-sponsor, Rep. Morgan Griffith, added, “Hemp was historically an important crop for Virginia farmers, and dietary supplements made from it do not possess dangerous addictive qualities. Nevertheless, the current state of regulation creates confusion about its legal uses. I joined this bipartisan bill to provide certainty for hemp farmers that their crop may find legal uses,” said Rep. Griffith in a statement.
Other sponsors of the bill include Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), James Comer (R-KY), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Don Bacon (R-NE), Ron Kind (D-WI), Mike Rogers (R-AL), and more. In total, nine Republicans and nine Democrats signed on to sponsor the bill.
In response to the proposed legislation, leading dietary supplement industry associations, including AHPA, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Citizens for Health, and the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), have endorsed H.R. 8179. The National Grocers Association and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, along with the U.S. Hemp Roundtable and other hemp industry leaders, also have endorsed H.R. 8179.
Hemp Industry Pushes Back on the DEA; Gains Congressional Support
In related news, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joined others in championing the potential of hemp CBD by sending a letter on October 22, 2020, to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Administrator Timothy Shea to make clear that the DEA’s Interim Final Rule (IFR) regarding hemp is in opposition to federal law and derails the intent of the 2018 Farm Bill.
"We are grateful for Senator Wyden and Merkley’s leadership and are hopeful that the DEA will listen and take necessary steps to withdraw its misguided rule. We will continue to pursue our efforts to fix this problem in Congress and/or the courts," said Jonathan Miller, General Counsel for the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.
DEA's Interim Final Rule (IFR) drew strong objections from the hemp industry overall as it potentially criminalizes the hemp extraction process, undermining the industry and U.S. hemp farmers.
In mid-October, the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) along with South Carolina-based CBD maker RE Botanicals filed a federal lawsuit claiming that the DEA is unlawfully attempting to regulate certain products derived from lawful hemp by misinterpreting the 2018 Farm Bill.
Specifically, said the plaintiffs, the DEA classifies intermediary hemp material (IHM) and waste hemp material (WHM), two necessary and inevitable byproducts of hemp processing, as Schedule I controlled substances. The plaintiffs argue that Congress deliberately removed such commercial hemp activity from the DEA's jurisdiction when it legalized hemp production, including hemp processing, via the 2018 Farm Bill.
The filing is the second such federal action is as many months taken by the plaintiffs on behalf of the hemp industry. In September, HIA and RE Botanicals filed an initial federal lawsuit challenging DEA’s rule and perceived interference in the industrial hemp market.
Resources
H.R. 8179 Bill
H.R. 8179 Fact Sheet
H.R. 8179 White Paper
H.R. 8179 Two-pager with Bill Sponsors
Legislation Would Legalize Sale of Hemp-derived CBD in Dietary Supplements
It’s Hemp vs. the DEA … Again!
CBD Industry Takes the Fight to the DEA
Pure Hemp® Perfects Rolling Paper, Builds on Nearly 300 Years of Paper-making History
This article originally appeared in the October 21, 2020 edition of the Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter.
By Steven Hoffman
What do you get when you combine a Spanish company with nearly 300 years in the business of making specialty paper products with a Canadian husband and wife team who in the 1990s were among the first “hempreneurs” dedicated to bringing hemp products to North America?
What you get is Pure Hemp, ultrathin 100% hemp rolling papers made of the highest quality for the discerning smoker, said Roland (Rolly) Pharand, Managing Director of Natural Emphasis Ltd. Based in Ontario, Canada, Natural Emphasis was founded in 1995 by husband and wife entrepreneurs Dave Marcus and Radha Chaddah, and is the exclusive North American importer of Pure Hemp rolling papers and related products.
More than that, when Dave and Radha were first building their hemp-centric import business in Canada, they approached their future Spanish partner, Miquel y Costas – a legendary paper manufacturer originally founded in 1725 in Barcelona as a family business whose “Smoking” brand of papers are sold worldwide – to import the company’s eco-friendly “Smoking Green” 100% pure hemp, premium quality rolling paper, which prompted the birth of the Pure Hemp brand.
Prior to then, the paper makers at Miquel y Costas had seen the value of hemp fiber in manufacturing rolling papers, but like others at the time, they primarily blended the hemp with paper pulp made from other textile crops, such as flax. When raw materials were in short supply during the Great Depression in the 1930s, Miquel y Costas began working directly with hemp and other textile farmers to ensure the company’s own supply of raw materials, selecting hemp varietals over time that produce the best fiber needed for its rolling papers.
Based on the growth of the Pure Hemp brand in the North American market, Miquel y Costas expanded the sales of Pure Hemp products first in South America, including Brazil, where Pure Hemp papers are popular. The company also recently introduced Pure Hemp papers to the European market, Pharand noted.
Burn Paper, Not the Planet
“Pure Hemp is a 100% eco-friendly tree-free rolling paper, produced using only the finest hemp pulp and is complimented with an all-natural gum line sustainably harvested from the African Acacia tree – all while maintaining the highest quality product with a slow burn and very little ash,” boasted Pharand of his product. “Once catering only to a niche market, today Pure Hemp rolling papers are an internationally recognized mass market leader for eco-alternatives to other traditional wood pulp-based rolling papers on the market.”
Pure Hemp offers products to consumers and wholesale accounts online and in retail stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. Products include Pure Hemp Classic and Unbleached rolling papers in various sizes. The company also recently launched 100% hemp Unbleached Cones in 1,000 cones per box count in 83 mm and 110 mm sizes. Pure Hemp also sells trays, tins and other gear in its distinctive vintage design.
“Nothing is more honorable than seeing the farmers putting the cannabis they’ve grown themselves into our hemp paper,” said Pharand, who has helped lead Natural Emphasis for more than 20 years.
Staying True to Its Roots
As it is still a very hemp-centric company, Natural Emphasis has continued an ongoing hemp breeding project under its “Natural Hemphasis” R&D arm. Begun in the late 1990s with Dr. Ernest Small of Canada’s Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, the research has focused on developing varieties for hempseed oil.
“We started in 1998 by bringing in 100 varieties of hemp from around the world,” said Pharand. “We’re still running our research plots and have developed three varieties for hempseed oil. We’re also looking at other higher resinous cannabis varieties to select for the best performing breeds,” he said.
“In particular, we are developing varietals that can grow successfully in the outdoors. If we want to create a positive environmental impact, we’ve got to develop varieties that will grow outside in the Canadian climate. We can’t have cannabis growing in indoor environments that consume a lot of energy,” Pharand added. “Maybe greenhouses will be needed for supplemental production, but growing under lights seems ridiculous when we have natural light and can have less of an impact around the globe,” he said.
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EarthxTV to Livestream Half-Earth Day and EarthX Global Gala, October 22
This article originally appeared in the October 21, 2020 edition of the Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter.
“Attention all hempsters! EarthxLings await your expanded minds at the Global Gala. Half Earth Day mean several things and we mix ‘em up. The resulting blend will give you a taste of things to come on EarthxTV.” – EarthX Founder Trammell S. Crow
By Steven Hoffman
Dallas, TX – Most of us know that Earth Day is held each April 22, and this year, 2020, marked the 50th anniversary of the day dedicated around the globe to environmental education and awareness.
But not many people may know about Half Earth Day. Yes, Half Earth Day.
This year, celebrating the halfway point in the calendar to the 51st Annual Earth Day in April 2021, Half Earth Day will be livestreamed for free on EarthxTV on Thursday, October 22, 2020, 5:00 pm – 6:25 pm CDT.
The idea is to get us thinking about the environment all year round, said event organizers. And rather than lament the fact that they can’t host the gathering in person this year, “we will now be able to have a worldwide audience for streaming,” said Dawn Spalding, Executive Producer of the EarthX Global Gala held in conjunction with the Half Earth Day event.
With headline speakers including Erin Brockovich; renowned naturalist E.O. Wilson; Rachelle Carson Begley, wife of “uber-environmentalist” Ed Begley and a passionate environmentalist in her own right; and conservationist and writer Harvey Locke, Half Earth Day brings together people from around the world and across disciplines and party lines to share their perspectives and thought leadership on how we can work together to ensure the health of the planet for future generations.
Half Earth Day is presented by EarthX, an internationally recognized nonprofit multi-media organization dedicated to building environmental awareness and founded by Dallas, TX, real estate scion and environmentalist Trammel Crow.
Inspired by the work of E.O. Wilson, Half Earth Day is a call to conserve half the Earth’s land and sea in order to provide sufficient habitat to safeguard the bulk of biodiversity, said event organizers.
The free livestream Half Earth Day program will be followed by the EarthX Global Gala, held the same day, October 22, 6:30 pm – 11:00 pm CDT.
The “eco-star-studded” virtual gala event will feature “some of the most notable eco-heroes on the planet,” along with live musical entertainment by The Compton Kidz Club, Grammy winner Skip Martin of Kool and the Gang, and the Bastards of Soul, plus a live virtual auction. The gala is hosted by Dr. Evan Antin, host of Animal Planet’s Evan Goes Wild. General admission tickets for the Global Gala livestream are available for $25 here. VIP tickets are also available.
“Hemp industry professionals will want to tune in to the Global Gala to celebrate environmentalism and progress for the planet,” said Daulton O’Neill, who works in Corporate and Partnership Development at EarthX. “The hemp movement plays a significant role in the regenerative agriculture conversation, and we are happy to curate those conversations here at EarthX and now on EarthxTV.”
What started as an outdoor street fair in Dallas in 2011 has grown into one of the world’s leading Earth Day events and a globally recognized environmental organization, EarthX. Founded by Trammell Crow, the Dallas, TX-based nonprofit promotes environmental awareness and impact through conscious business, nonpartisan collaboration and community-driven sustainable solutions. Visit www.EarthX.org.
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Italy Classifies CBD as Narcotic; Orders Products Off Retail Shelves
This article originally appeared in the October 21, 2020 edition of the Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter.
While the EU is the world’s second largest market for hemp-derived CBD products, Italy’s Ministry of Health this week decreed CBD is a drug, and retailers were warned not to sell hemp extract products, in conflict with the country’s Agriculture Ministry, which listed hemp flowers for “extraction uses” as an agricultural product, and not a drug.
By Steven Hoffman
With the CBD-based pharmaceutical, Epidiolex, manufactured by the UK’s GW Pharmaceuticals, poised to enter the Italian market, hemp-derived CBD was classified this week as a narcotic in Italy by the country’s Ministry of Health. According to a HempToday report on October 20, CBD was officially added to Italy’s list of medicines.
In addition to the ruling, Italy’s Customs and Monopoly Agency immediately followed up with a warning to retailers, advising them “not to hold and sell … inflorescences (flowers), oils, resins or other products containing substances derived from hemp sativa,” HempToday reported.
The move comes in conflict with the country’s Agriculture Ministry, which published an official decree in August 2020 that listed hemp flower, or “canapa infiorescenza,” for extraction uses as an agricultural product.
According to the Cannabis Law Report, the decree was approved by Italy’s Agriculture Minister Teresa Bellanova, adding hemp flower under “medicinal plants” in a list of approved agricultural products. HempToday reported that Italy’s Agriculture Ministry “listed hemp flowers for ‘extraction uses’ as an agricultural product, and not a drug.”
Concerns Over Proposed EU CBD Regulation
Italy’s decision contributes to the hemp industry’s concern that the EU market overall is becoming less friendly to hemp-derived CBD products. According to Better Retailing, retailers in Europe could see up to half of existing CBD brands disappear due to upcoming cost-prohibitive regulation.
“From 31 March 2021, CBD food, drink, oil and supplement brands must be able to prove that products released to [the EU] market before 13 February 2021 have a validated novel foods application to be legally allowed to sold in stores. It applies only to ingested goods, meaning CBD vaping lines are exempt,” Better Retailing reported. According to Better Retailing, it could cost more than $500,000 to have each product line submitted for EU regulatory approval.
Then, in July 2020, news reports shared that the European Commission was suspending applications for CBD to be included as a novel food. Instead, it was learned the commission is reviewing whether CBD and other extracts derived from hemp flowers would be better regulated as narcotics. The reasoning behind the suspension was based on a reference in the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in 1961, which states that “’extracts and tinctures’” of the flowering tops of the hemp plant (cannabis sativa) should be classed as a narcotic,” reported New Food Magazine.
While it is still only a proposal, the ramifications of such a ruling has the European hemp industry quite concerned. Responding to the proposal to rule CBD as a narcotic in the EU, the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) accused the European Commission of being “poised to kill the EU’s hemp sector,” Hemp Gazette reported.
“If confirmed, this position is likely to strike the final blow to the sector and deprive farmers from a low maintenance and profitable rotation crop with the potential to bringing environmental benefits,” the EIHA said in a July 2020 statement. “Cannabidiol would stay on the market but only in synthetic form, produced via polluting chemical manufacturing.”
According to EIHA’s view, “Industrial hemp and its downstream products are not narcotic or psychotropic drugs.” Further, EIHA stated that “hemp is exempted from the scope of the United Nations Single Convention of 1961, whose authors made a clear distinction between cannabis varieties grown for the production of drugs (falling under the scope of the treaties) and exempting those grown for any other purpose (i.e., low-THC varieties). On top of that, EIHA states clearly that not all hemp extracts shall be considered novel but only the enriched and isolated ones,” the organization stated.
“EIHA collected many evidences which clearly demonstrate that traditional hemp extracts were widely used as food for centuries. Traditional hemp extracts, which have been consumed for centuries in Europe and worldwide, should therefore be considered as traditional food according to food regulations. Hemp extracts processed by new extraction methods should be subject to the respective legal frameworks of the Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283,” EIHA asserted.
Meanwhile, in Italy, hemp industry observers expressed concern that GW Pharmaceuticals’ desire to enter EU markets – and its recent request to begin marketing in the Italian market – may have prompted the Italian Ministry of Health’s decree establishing narcotics status for CBD, reported HempToday.
According to HempToday, “It remains to be seen what will happen in Italy with smokable hemp, which is based on hemp flowers (“inflorescenses”) and therefore not extracted, under the Customs and Monopoly Agency’s stop-sell order.” Sold as pre-rolled cigarettes and loose in pouches, smokable hemp has grown in popularity in Italy, Switzerland and elsewhere in the EU over the past few years, HempToday reported.
Also, HempToday pointed out that hemp flowers can also contain hemp seeds, “which are technically legal in Italy, raising still further potential confusion.” Approximately 80% of Italy’s agricultural hemp production is in food seed, according to a report published in February 2020 by the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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