Hemp doing well north, east of here

Although plans to grow commercial plots of hemp in the district fell through this year, the results from Dryden and Thunder Bay hemp growers seem quite promising.
Those fields–all at least 10 acres in size–are growing hemp for grain, Gord Scheifele, the University of Guelph co-ordinator for Northern Ontario research stations, said last week.
“There is a market for the grain and it’s growing very rapidly,” he added, noting most of the shipping looks like it will go east out of the port at Thunder Bay.
Scheifele noted some of the test plots at the Emo research station, and several of the commercial plots in Thunder Bay, now are growing hemp varieties specifically bred for grain production in Northwestern Ontario.
Unlike their heavy fibre-producing cousins, which can reach heights of 10 feet plus, the grain varieties are much smaller, topping out at around five feet.
And because they’re bred specifically for this area, they prove to be a little more hardy than many of the European breeds, Scheifele added.
Having these North American varieties on hand could prove to be very profitable in the next couple of years. Scheifele said U.S. farmers have become very aggressive in landing the right to grow hemp, particularly in those states relatively close to Northwestern Ontario.
“That means varieties adapted here will go on to the States,” he noted, making Northwestern Ontario a possible hemp seed supplier.
An application also has gone in to the Northern Ontario Heritage Funding Corp. for a feasibility study on further uses for the hemp.
But that’s still a bit down the road, Scheifele admitted. Right now, they’re concentrating on grain sales for hemp oil.
“That’s the most immediate market for us,” he stressed, noting hemp oil tests out to be the most nutritionally-balanced oil for human consumption on the market.
“It’s perfect,” he enthused. “God knew what we need and he gave us hemp. You can grow it, and go to church on Sunday and not feel bad about yourself.”