Author, Zack DiLiberto

Meet Zack DiLiberto, co-author of the new book, Hemp the Novel. It’s a historic novel that tells the story about how hemp came to be criminalized in the US when big oil and petrochemical realized hemp was a threat to the demand for their products:

With [...] breakthroughs in hemp-processing, and rumors of Henry Ford’s ‘hemp-mobile’ materializing, hemp is now an imminent threat to Big Oil and its allies. The war on hemp begins.
[...]
Acting solely to further their own interests, a conspiracy of powerful, greedy tycoons such as Andrew Mellon, Du Pont, and William Randolph Hearst, and their fanatical, federal pawn systematically outlawed the industrial hemp plant, and with it, the world’s greenest, cheapest, alternative source to petrochemical and tree-paper products. They got away with it, unchallenged, for 74 years . . . and counting!

Recently got a chance to ask Zack some questions about Hemp — both the plant and the novel. He talked about education is the key to legalizing industrial hemp, and discussed the environmental and economic incentives for doing so. So without further ado…

HempNotes: How did you first develop an interest in hemp?
Zack DeLiberto: It was almost as if we were meant to be part of the industrial hemp movement. People started ‘talking hemp’ to my co-author, Nini Martino, and me at around the same time. We both jumped in with both feet, did a lot of research, shared notes, and decided right away: “This is a story that needs to be told, and we’re going to tell it!”

HN: What do you see as the main barrier to legalizing hemp-farming in the U.S (e.g. public education, private interests/lobbies, legislative chauvinism, etc.)?
ZD: Ignorance. Plain and simple. People do not realize there is a distinct difference between industrial hemp and the drug marijuana. The tricky part about the ignorance surrounding industrial hemp is that it is not an accident. What few people are aware of, including many college professors, is that the destruction of the American Hemp Industry can be traced back to a small group of very powerful and well-connected men from the Big Oil, Petrochemical, and Newspaper industries. These men realized that with advancements in the processing of industrial hemp, which had been grown and used in the US since the days of its colonization, their own industries could soon be obsolete. So, they conspired together over 75 years ago to make hemp-farming illegal through a highly-sensationalized smear campaign that falsly equated industrial hemp with the drug marijuana. To this day, most people have no idea that industrial hemp and marijuana are entirely different from each other and that there are almost zero drug properties in hemp.

Hemp - The Novel

This misunderstanding is coupled today with the nearly forgotten history of hemp in the United States. Most people have no idea that in 1941 Henry Ford had already developed a car that ran solely on hemp fuel and was constructed from hemp plastic. Furthermore, few people know that the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper, “The Star Spangled Banner” on a hemp envelope, and that the first American flag was sewn by Betsy Ross using hemp cloth. In fact, many of our Founding Fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, grew their own hemp crops and firmly believed that hemp must be a staple crop in our countries advancement from independence. Needless to say, there is a lot about hemp in the United States that is either unknown or misunderstood, and we are convinced that raising public awareness on these issues and correcting the falicies that surround this industry are the best way to get the pro-hemp movement towards a tipping point. Once the ignorance about hemp is cured, voters will undoubtably demand a change in the laws and the green revolution we describe in our book will finally be realized. We see it coming; and we’re excited to be part of the process.

HN: Do you think there are significant economic incentives to legalizing hemp production?
ZD: Of course! Hemp can become the New Big Oil! The renewable, home-grown, non-polluting alternative to OPEC! What better incentive could there be? Hemp can replace virtually every petro-chemical product in existence. And then there’s the textiles, the paper and building-materials, and even food! These are all green industries, creating green jobs. They’re doing it successfully today in every industrialized nation except the USA! It’s insane!

HN: What do you think is hemp’s biggest environmental potential?
ZD: It’s hard to choose. The list is huge. You need to check out our HEMP FACTS page. But if I have to choose, I’d say the reduction of the world’s carbon imprint by switching from petroleum to biomass-fuel. Burning hemp oil does not contribute to acid rain or global warming, and any pollution it does produce is offset by growing it. A close second and third would be switching from tree-pulp paper and cotton textiles to cleaner, greener hemp paper and cloth. Again go to www.hempthenovel.com for details.

HN: What is your favorite hemp-based product?
ZD: We’ve got this vision of the next edition of our book being printed on American grown and manufactured hemp paper!

So Manitoba Harvest is having a special for the month of July where shoppers can get a free 5lbs container of certified organic hemp seeds if they spend $250 or more — a $75 value! Now, I know, $250 seems like a lot, but so is 5lbs of hemp seeds.

As their newsletter explains, all you have to do is use the coupon code Free5seed11 at checkout:

These tiny hemp seeds pack a powerful punch of protein, omegas and fiber. Not only are hemp seeds easy to incorporate into any meal they, taste delicious too! Did you know Dr. Oz even refers to hemp seed as ‘Brain Food’?

Our hemp seeds are a raw, vegan-friendly, whole food that contains no additives or preservatives! Manitoba Harvest only sources seed that has not been genetically modified.

How It Works:
When you add $250 worth of any Manitoba Harvest products to your cart and enter the code Free5seed11 we’ll automatically add the free 5lb container to your cart.

Hemp seeds are not only a great source of protein, but of iron, but omega fatty acids as well. They also contain all 10 essential amino acids. They also have a nutty flavor that’s a great compliment to just about any salad, shake, or any other kind of recipe you think of. For some ideas on what you can do with hemp seeds, just check out our recipe section, and then visit Manitoba Harvest and use the coupon code Free5seed11 to get your free 5lbs container of organic hemp seed today.

Left to Right: Patrick Goggin, David Bronner, Bob McFarland, Senator Mark Leno and David Piller

On May 18th the California Senate voted 22 to 14 to pass SB 676, the hemp farming bill. The bill has now been sent to the Assembly. On Tuesday SB 676 passed out of the Public Safety Committee on a 5 to 2 vote! There are several more committee hearings yet to come, but we are very optimistic that SB 676 will pass the full Assembly and go to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

Although it is perfectly legal to buy, sell, and import hemp products in the US, cultivation of the plant still remains illegal. But there are many reasons to hope that this bill is seen through into law. First, it would offer farmers access to a new cash crop.

Second, it would push hemp production closer toward critical mass and bring down the price of so many healthy and eco-friendly hemp-based products. This would give North American a more sustainable crop alternative to cotton, as well as be an important step toward fighting rising global commodity prices.

But most importantly, it would set a precedent for other US states to rethink their archaic legislation toward the hemp plant. And that would be critical in changing global legislative and industrial attitudes toward a plant that can address so many environmental, energy, and dietary needs.

Aussie Hemp Farmer

Global commodity prices rise are on the rise, driving up the price of all staples, from food to coffee to cotton. These increases have been severe enough that they even have some G20 leaders worried about food security.

On the cotton front, hemp fibers could help consumers save on their clothing purchases. But if hemp farming was legal in the US, the crop could also preempt further environmental devastation as farmers rush to cash-in on the cotton rush.

Short Supply, Growing Demand

The main causes behind poor cotton yields has been severe weather caused by global warming. Indeed, crops in Pakistan, India, China, and Australia all fell short of expectations in 2010.

As CTV reports, this shortage and increasing demands in India and China may push the price of cotton up as much as 80%. And because of rising price, farmers are rushing to plant more cotton. Both Australia and Brazil have increased their production, and some US states are expected to even double theirs. As Business Week reports:

[...] California farmers are expected to plant 400,000 acres of cotton this year. That’s up from a low of 200,000 acres planted two years ago.

In the short-term, increased cotton production and export will help the US manage its trade deficit. In the medium- to long-term, however, increasing cotton production is bound to only exacerbate one of the causes behind the world’s cotton shortage.

Hemp vs Cotton: Crops & The Climate

The problem with ramping up cotton production, though, is that will only contribute to climate change further. Hemp, on the other hand, represent a much more sustainable, less resource intensive alternative.

First, cotton is thirsty crop, requiring considerable irrigation, which disturbs both marine and terrestrial habitats. Indeed, it can take up to 100 gallons of water to produce one pound of cotton. Hemp can subsist off of rainfall in most climates.

Second, cotton is notorious for depleting soil — leading to soil erosion and desertification. Hemp, by contrast, has a deep root system that helps to prevent soil erosion and aerates the soil — to the benefit of other, future crops.

Third, because cotton depletes soil so extensively, it requires considerable fertilization, leading to eutrophication — poisoning the water table and destroying marine ecosystems. Hemp, however, rarely require fertilization.

Finally, while cotton crops constitute on 3% of cultivated land globally, it account for 25% of the world’s insecticides and 10% of the world’s pesticides. Hemp does require the use of such toxic chemicals.

Holding Hemp Back

So while cotton farming not only requires a lot of water, but also uses a lot fertilizer and pesticides (furthering our dependency on petroleum), hemp represents an alternative that is (1) cheaper to produce and (2) much more sustainable as a crop. So what’s holding hemp back as a cash-crop? Well, a number of things.

For starters, there are legal hurdles in many countries. While Canada, Australia, China, and many European countries grow and export industrial hemp, it remains illegal in the US and India because legislation doesn’t distinguish between hemp and its psychoactive counterpart – marijuana. Both the US and India, however, are major cotton producers, so legislative change could bring about considerable agricultural (and ecological) reform.

Hanes Logo

Then, there is the facts that hemp is not as easily spun into a soft fabric as cotton is. Of course, companies such as Hanes and NAT are working on a solution to this, but the technology to spin hemp into a complete substitute for cotton is still a couple years off.

Finally, there are market issues. Simply put, hemp is still not a mainstream fiber, meaning that farmers just do not have the incentive to grow hemp as they do cotton — i.e. they can’t sell it as easily. This, of course, will change as technology makes hemp fabrics more suitable for consumer needs.

As hemp fiber technology gets better, market demand will go up, farmers will have more of an incentive to cultivate it, and markets forces will apply more pressure on governments to accommodate the crop. Perhaps recent change in commodity prices will lend force to such market forces.

Chances are, though, that cotton lobbyists will work against the crop for at least 5-10 years to come. But let’s hope not.

Credit: Granville Online

Came across this interesting article on Hemp vs Cotton. It’s just another reminder of how the plant is not only extrememly versatile, but can how, once again, it’s an extremely eco-friendlier alternative to a very environmentally damaging crop. Here were some key points:

• It takes about 1,400 gallons of water to produce just 1 pound of cotton
• Cotton require only half that
• One acre of land can produce 250% more hemp fiber than cotton fiber
• A field of hemp can also yield two crops a year
• Cotton consumes 25% of the world’s insecticides and 10% of the world’s pesticides
• Most hemp is grown without pesticides/insecticides
• Hemp doesn’t require herbicide because it over-shades weeds
• Hemp is a tremendous carbon trap

The environmental advantage of hemp, I think, are strikingly clear. But the article also goes on to explore how hemp and cotton compare in terms of industrial applications and market potential, and hemp still comes out on top.

It makes you wonder how hemp every got outlawed as a fiber crop. Oh yeah, I remember: William Randolf Hearst printed his news on cotton paper and owned a bunch of interests in cotton farming, so he used marijuana to launch a smear campaign again the cotton’s biggest (non-psychoactive) rival, hemp.

It’s outright tragic and injust that 70 years later, us and the planet are still bearing the burden of Hearst’s corrupt corporate interests.

Hemp Seeds are full of nutrients such as protein and essential fatty acids.

There’s been discussion, lately, about airlines banning peanuts because of allergy concerns. But could you imagine what would air travel be like without those single serving bags of honey roasted peanuts?

Well, Richard Davis can. According to FlashNews, Mr. Davis has created hemp nuts, and he thinks they might have a future in the air travel business.

Richard Davis of hemp-based snack company, Blue Sun Corporation, has just created Honey Roasted Hemp Nuts, little packs of hemp seeds that taste similar to seasoned beer nuts.

With recent talks of airlines possibly banning peanuts due to allergies, Davis is hoping to offer Hemp Nuts aboard airplanes as an alternative to the classic in-flight snack.
[...]
Davis is currently pitching the peanut substitute to Southwest and Alaska Airlines.

Whether or not the airline industry takes Davis up on his idea, I’m still stoked to try these hemp nuts. Corn nuts and soy nuts have become widely popular snack items, so I can only imagine how tasty hemp nuts would be.

Credit: jazzijava

We recently got this recipe in a newsletter from Manitoba Harvest so we thought we’d share it with you. Manitoba Harvest sells all kinds of great hemp products (from hempmilk to hemp protein powder.), so if you can’t find any of the ingredients at your local store, you can always order them online from them. Let us know how it turns out for you!

Ingredients
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup Original or Unsweetened Hempmilk
3/4 cup Liquid Honey or Agave Nectar
2 tsp Vanilla
1-1/2 cup Bran
2 Tbsp Vanilla Hemp Protein Powder
1-3/4 cup Flour
1-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Salt
1-1/2 cup Raisins

Directions
Combine eggs, milk, honey and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and combine – mix just until incorporated. Scoop the muffin batter into greased or lined muffin pans. Bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes. Remove from muffin pans, allow a few minutes to cool, then enjoy!

Hemp History Week

Today marks the beginning of the first annual Hemp History Week. A joint effort between Vote Hemp and the Hemp Industry Association, the week long event is a grassroots educational campaign to raise awareness of the industrial and environmental potential of hemp farming.

Hemp History Week will consist of 185 event across 32 states. Organizers will also be working to collect tens of thousands of hand-signed postcards addressed to President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder asking them to end the ban on hemp farming and let farmers once again grow the versatile and profitable crop. You can download your own postcard here.

And for those who can’t make it to any of the events, but still want to support or get involved in Hemp History Week, you can follow Hemp History Week on Twitter or join the Facebook Page.

A problem that vegetarians face when it comes to getting enough protein, is getting a complete protein. While meat contains complete protein, many vegetarian alternatives need to be combined with other things to get a complete protein — such as lentils with brown rice.

But hemp seeds offer a great source of complete protein, and in a particularly high concentration, as well. As columnist Rhonda Beckham for the Tahoe Daily Tribune points out:

It turns out that hemp — which has many uses including fuel, building supplies, textiles for clothing and housewares — is a complete protein in itself. And no, you won’t get the giggles or munchies after ingesting the seeds grown for food.
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Here is what Rocky Mountain Grain Products of Alberta, Canada, has to say about “nature’s power food:” “If you eat the contents of this bag (2 ounces) for breakfast with whole fruit or raw vegetables, you can expect abundant energy and no hunger for many hours, sometimes all day. You can save the cost of hemp hearts many times in reduced grocery bills and supplements, more productivity and less health care.”
[...]
Two ounces of hemp hearts contains 314 calories, 25.9 grams of fat (87 percent omega, more than fish), no cholesterol, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 20 grams of protein, and 36 percent of your daily need for iron.

So hemp seeds are not only a great source of protein, but of iron, but omega fatty acids as well. They also contain all 10 essential amino acids.

Hemp seeds have a nutty flavor, are similar to sesame seeds in texture, and great in shakes/smoothies, over salads, or mixed into any other dish or desert.

If you want to give them a try, but are having trouble finding them at your local grocer, you can order them online from Manitoba Harvest. All their hemp products are organic, and their selection is quite vast.

Organic Hemp Protein Powder

It seems like the folks over at Manitoba Harvest have just released two new hemp protein powder flavors: vanilla and dark chocolate. They are also sweetened with a more eco-friendly sweetener: organic palm sugar.

The hemp seeds used to make this protein powder are also organic. So now you can get all 10 essentially amino acids, 2 essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and -6), and a bunch of other nutrients in one tasty protein powder and still be kind to the environment.  The press release explains all the health and environmental benefits in more depth:

Winnipeg, Manitoba (May 5, 2010) – [...] Hemp protein powder holds many advantages over other protein powder options, and now Manitoba Harvest™ Hemp Foods & Oils has launched two new ‘superfood’ protein powders that are convenient, delicious and easy to digest.

The new Dark Chocolate and Vanilla Organic Hemp Protein Powders from Manitoba Harvest (www.manitobaharvest.com) are cold-processed raw whole food powders that feature the many benefits of organic palm sugar. The fine consistency of the powder is optimal for blending into smoothies, drinks and other recipes. To most consumers the taste is most important, so the addition of the palm sugar’s delicious caramel and butterscotch flavor notes is very satisfying.

Coconut palm sugar is a ‘new’ sweetener that is quickly gaining popularity because of its low glycemic index, high nutrition content and eco-friendly attributes compared to other sweeteners. A low glycemic index is known to help with weight management and may improve glucose and lipid levels for people managing diabetes. Organic palm sugar is high in potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron, and is also a good source vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C.

Palm sugar is a sustainable crop that is sourced from small family farms and the processing income stays in the local community. Coconut palms produce an average of 50-75% more sugar per acre than cane sugar and uses 1/5 less agricultural inputs to achieve that production. Coconut trees are known to be ecologically beneficial crops that grow in and support diverse ecosystems, restore damaged soils and require little water.

Manitoba Harvest Organic Dark Chocolate Hemp Protein Powder and Organic Vanilla Hemp Protein Powder provide a boost of Protein, Omega 3 & 6 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) and fiber to smoothies and other beverages [...]

Retailing for only $21.99, these hemp protein powders are a much healthier alternative to whey or soy powders. In addition to containing all of the 10 essential amino acids, hemp protein is also incredibly easier to digest than other proteins, and offers a slew of other key nutritional benefits that other protein powders lack.

For starters, hemp protein powder contains 66% of “edestin” proteins — which are used by the body in hormones, hemoglobin, enzyme and antibody production.  Hemp’s edestin structure is also the highest in the plant kingdom.

Furthermore, hemp also features an abundance of other key nutrients, such as  soluble fiber, chlorophyll, vitamins, omega-3 and -6 Essential Fatty Acids and GLA and SDA Super Fatty Acids. With so many health benefits and such a competitive price-point, then, Manitoba Harvest‘s Organic Dark Chocolate and Organic Vanilla Hemp Protein powders might just be worth a try.