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.
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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!

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.

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.
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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.

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.

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.

The Hemperor, Jack Herer

One of the hemp industry’s greatest champions, Jack Herer, passed away on April 15th at the age of 70.  Affectionately known as the Hemperor, Jack inspired an entire generation of hemp activists. And as the Salem News reports, Jack was not only a hemp hero, but an unlikely one:

Jack Herer was born June 18th, 1939, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. [...] A “normal American nerd”, he grew into a respectable young man, joining the military, getting married and starting a family.

And then, at age thirty, he completely changed direction, becoming one of the very first American Cannabis activists, and inevitably the most world renowned leader for hemp education.

Jack didn’t start out as the “kind of guy” who smoked pot. He was a Goldwater Republican, in the sign maintenance business. In 1969, recently divorced, he was introduced to cannabis by a girlfriend. [...]

In 1973, Jack published his first book, G.R.A.S.S. (Great Revolutionary American Standard System) [...]

Jack believed that the cannabis sativa plant should not be illegal because it has been shown to be a renewable source of fuel, food, fiber and medicine, and it can be grown in virtually any part of the world. [...]
In 1982, Jack was at a party and had the opportunity to outline the hemp story to Tom Rutherford, a state senator from New Mexico. The senator told Jack that if the facts were real and if they were put into a book, then pot would be legalized.

That’s all Jack needed to hear, and he went to work on The Emperor Wears No Clothes, which would become one of the seminal books on the history of hemp and marijuana prohibition, used by experts and laymen alike as an essential research tool and a catalyst in the advocacy to decriminalize cannabis since it was first published in 1985. Over 600,000 books have been sold, it is translated into a dozen languages and there is an online version available on JackHerer.com.

In 1988, Jack ran for United States President, (1,949 votes) and again in 1992 (3,875 votes) as the Grassroots Party candidate.

As the hemp industry mourns his loss, we also can’t help but to celebrate his legacy. He gave so much to the hemp community, including his life’s work.

Once again, the Manitoba government is investing in its local hemp industry once again. In early April, the provincial government announced that it would be investing a half-million dollars into a hemp processing plant that is expanding its operations. As the CBC reports:

The provincial government is giving $500,000 towards the expansion of a Manitoba hemp-processing plant — an investment it says is the first of its kind in Canada.

Plains Industrial Hemp Processing Corp. is based in Gilbert Plains. The company currently manufactures hemp pellets, animal bedding and insulation, the province said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

However the company is expanding its business to be able to make hemp fiber. The new plant will allow it to produce 18,000 metric tonnes of fibre a year, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Stan Struthers said.

This is not the first time that Manitoba (the second largest producer of hemp in Canada) has invested in its hemp industry. In October of 2008, the provincial government invested $4 million in a hemp processing facility that would make home insulation and animal bedding from hemp straw.

Hemp Bliss Hempmilk

If you don’t know about Manitoba Harvest, they’re a Canadian based hemp-food manufacturer that sells everything from hemp seeds and hemp milk, to hemp butter and hemp protein powder. Well, they’ve just announced a new recipe for their organic hemp milk. As the press release explains:

Winnipeg, Manitoba (March 31, 2010) – Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils™ is proud to launch the new & improved Hemp Bliss Organic Hempmilk. The only organic hempmilk on the market, Hemp Bliss has a new milder and creamier taste, 25% calcium, and more culinary versatility. Still free from common allergens, Hemp Bliss Organic Hempmilk is packed with nutrients like Omega-3 and Omega-6.

“The new Hemp Bliss is designed to appeal to a broader palate and to be a healthy alternative to dairy milk,” says President and co-founder Mike Fata. “We added more calcium (25% of the daily recommended intake) and created a creamy, smooth, allergen-free alternative that has a mouth-feel similar to dairy milk,” notes Fata. “We also added organic hemp oil which provides Hemp Bliss with even more healthy Omega-3 and a creamier texture.”
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Hempmilk contains more Omega 3, 6 and 9 EFAs than any other dairy or non-dairy milk alternative, and those EFAs are present in hemp in an ideal ratio. Hemp foods also have a strong digestible protein profile, fiber and an abundance of vitamins and minerals.
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What has not changed is Manitoba Harvest’s commitment to organic and natural ingredients. “We are proud to be the only organic hempmilk on the market, and we use only organic hemp seed, hemp oil, acacia & guar gum, organic vanilla flavoring and fair trade cocoa powder. All of the ingredients in the new Hemp Bliss are natural and sourced under the company’s mission to support sustainable farming and environmentally friendly practices.

I like hemp seeds and hemp protein, but I gotta tell, any improvement to the flavor of hemp milk is a welcome one. Hemp is one of the few foods that offers a perfect balance of Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids, but hemp milk is generally no way to get them. The stuff tasks like a sawdust milkshake. Hemp seeds, on the other hand, have a really nice nutty flavor that goes great on salads, cereals, or even in smoothies.

You can order Hemp Bliss Organic Hempmilk form the Manitoba Harvest site, but I’ve never had a problem finding it in any major urban area. That being said, I’ll have to give hemp milk another shot now that Manitoba Harvest has tweaked its recipe. Maybe I won’t have to cut it with a bunch of fruit and throw it in a blender just to make it bearable.

Dr. Keithe Bolton

We’ve previously covered how hemp can be used to treat sewage, and how an Australian researcher, Dr. Keith Bolton, was testing it’s full potential as a mop-up crop. Well, it appears that the good Dr. Bolton is at it again. As the Northern Rivers Echo reports, Dr. Bolton has recently used his research to help an Australian aboriginal community whose sewage treatment facilities have fallen into disrepair:

With a love of travel and a secondary business behind him of importing hemp products such as hemp seed oil, it was natural that Dr Bolton’s next project should involve research into growing and irrigating hemp with effluent.
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“Half a million litres of poorly treated effluent were being released into the local creek at Bangalow causing ecological damage,” Dr Bolton said. “I suggested that the alternative was a land application of effluent where we grow and irrigate crops with it.”

Dr Bolton then trialled crops of hemp, bamboo and kenaf on the land. While hemp produced the most in terms of biomass production, today bamboo is grown there as the main ‘mop crop’ because it grows all year round.
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It was the combination of hemp and waste water which brought the people from the Aboriginal community of Malabugilmah near Tenterfield to Dr Bolton’s door about four years ago. They had heard about his successful hemp growing trials and they hoped he could help them with their own sewage problems.

The community of Malabugilmah now has complete sewage treatment facilities, and unlike other such projects in Australian Aborginal communities, the community itself was heavily involved in both the planning and upkeep of the facilities. In fact, 14 community members received proper training and are now employed to maintain the infrastructure and services required by the community.

As a mop-up crop, hemp has considerable potential to pull toxins from the soil. When irrigated with sewage, hemp will pull 90% of the nitrogen from the effluent and soil. In fact, during Dr. Bolton’s first trials, someone even tried adding ammonium to the irrigation system, and the hemp absorbed 95% of it. Hemp can also be used to pull lead from contaminated land.

Hanes Logo

The major t-shirt company, Hanesbrands Inc is pursuing additional testing of hemp-based fiber for mass production, reports reports GeenBiz.com. The company first partnered with Naturally Advanced Technologies (NAT) in November 2008 to conduct preliminary tests of hemp-based fiber in their t-shirt production. Preliminary tests involved determining whether NAT’s hemp-based fiber could be spun on conventional equipment.

When preliminary tests were successful, Hanebrand moved on to test a t-shirt that was 20% hemp, 80% cotton. Now, Hanesbrands has been sufficiently satisfied with the results that they have ordered another 10,000 pounds to conduct additional testing.

So far, Hanebrands test have shown that the NAT’s hemp-based fiber hold dye better and shrink less than conventional cotton blends. So even though NAT’s fiber is more expensive than conventional cotton, Hanesbrands may be able to recoup those costs in the manufacturing process.

Traditionally, hemp produces a stronger, but coarser and rougher fabric than cotton does. NAT’s hemp-based Crailar fabric, however, offers the “same warmth and feel of organic cotton, but with characteristics, such as tensile strength, that organic cotton simply can never achieve.”

The environmental benefits of such a fabric being displacing 20-50% of the cotton used in clothing production would be significant. While cotton takes up only 3% of arable land, it accounts for 26% of all pesticides used in farming, and producing one pound of cotton can also require up to 100 gallons of water.

Hemp crops, on the other hand, requires no pesticides and can often subsists of off normal rainfall in most climates. So by displacing cotton as a conventional fabric textile, hemp can both help conserve water and reduce the use of harmful chemicals that leach into our water table. Indeed, it’s promising to see a brand as large has Hanes testing the plant for its potential as a textile for mass production.