Hemp: Our Future!
Hemp for a Healthy Future!
Thomas Jefferson once said, "Hemp is of greatest importance to our nation." Boy, did he have the long view. Today, the U.S. hemp industry has estimated annual retail sales of $452 million dollars. Yet the crop that was planted by the nation's founding fathers, and is today a rising star in healthful living, is currently prohibited from being grown on U.S. farms.
Hemp Milk tasting Sunday June 9th 2013
by ASAYA
When: Sunday June 9th 2013
Time: from 10:00AM to 3:00PM
Where: Good Tern Natural Foods Store
750 Main St, Rockland, ME04841
Phone (207)594-8822
Hemp for a Healthy Future
- U.S. consumers are discovering the benefits of hemp. In 2011, annual retail sales of hemp products was an estimated $452 million dollars.
- While American farmers often net less than $50 per acre for soy and corn, Canadian farmers just across the border net an average of $200-400 per acre for hemp.
- U.S. companies are producing popular and sustainable hemp foods, hemp body care products, hemp clothing, hemp paper and much more. These companies want to purchase U.S. grown hemp.
Hemp is our history!
Get involved and support Hemp for a Healthy Future.
What is Hemp?
Hemp for a Healthy Future
Nutritious, sustainable and versatile, hemp is for a healthy future.Hemp is the distinct oilseed and fiber varieties of the plant species Cannabis sativa L. It is a tall, slender, fibrous plant that has been cultivated worldwide for over 10,000 years.
A nutrition powerhouse, hemp is also an environmentally sustainable solution for potentially thousands of products ranging from body care to plastics, paper, textiles, building materials and even ethanol. With a rapidly expanding market for hemp products, cultivating hemp is an untapped opportunity for American farmers.
Good for Our Bodies
Hemp seeds are a nearly perfect food source. High in
digestible protein, healthy Omega essential fatty acids (EFAs) and
naturally occurring minerals, hemp seeds are also free of gluten and
have no known allergens.Foods made from hemp seeds have become staples in co-ops and grocery stores across the country. The light, nutty flavor of hemp seeds make them a perfect raw ingredient for delicious breads, cereals, waffles, nut butters, protein powders, nutritional oils, non-dairy milk and even ice cream.
Hemp seeds have a perfectly balanced 1:3 ratio of naturally occurring Omega-3 and Omega-6 EFAs for our body. And unlike other seeds and nutritional oils, such as flax and fish oil, hemp seeds also contain Super Omega-3 Stearidonic Acid (SDA) and Super Omega-6 Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA).
Hemp's oil's Omega-3 EFAs and vitamin E content make it an ideal ingredient for body care products. The EFAs soothe and restore skin in salves and creams and give excellent emolliency and a smooth after-feel to lotions, lip balms, conditioners, shampoos and soaps.
Good for the Earth
Hemp is an environmentally sustainable solution for
potentially thousands of products ranging from plastics, paper,
textiles, building materials and even ethanol. A low-impact agricultural
product, hemp is renewable resource that can be grown without
pesticides or agricultural chemicals.Hemp is gaining popularity among leading clothing designers for its look, feel and breathability. Hemp can replace cotton, a crop that accounts for nearly 25% of all pesticide use in the U.S. The strength of hemp fiber makes it a favorite for specialty paper. And paper pulp made from hemp hurds (the woody core fiber) is an ideal additive to strengthen recycled post-consumer waste (PCW) pulp, thus expanding PCW's use.
Today, millions of cars built by Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Lotus, Mercedes Benz and BMW contain hemp composites for door panels. Energy-efficient homes are built with hemp concrete, and retail stores are using hemp fiberboard displays. Imagine a future where hemp is just another useful material for all kinds of earth-friendly products.
Good for our Farmers
Hemp is a part of America's agricultural heritage. First
gown in 1600's at Jamestown, hemp is best suited to regions that also
produce wheat and corn. Hemp can be grown organically and aids in weed
suppression and soil building, making it a favored rotation crop.The market for hemp products is an estimated $450 million dollars annually and growing. Even with Canada' entry into hemp production in the late 1990's, demand for hemp seeds and fiber is exceeding supply. U.S. farmers want an opportunity to grow this crop once again, and share in the rewards of hemp's soaring popularity.
What Hemp Isn't
It is important to note that hemp has no drug value. Hemp seed contains little to no measurable amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in drug varieties of Cannabis. Using hemp products will not cause a false positive drug test. Learn more about the issue at www.TestPledge.com.What is Hemp History Week?
The 4th Annual Hemp History Week: June 3-9, 2013
Celebrate Hemp: Our History, Our Future
Every day, more and more Americans discover the benefits of hemp. This ever-expanding market includes healthy food and body care products, as well as eco-friendly textiles, clothing, auto parts, and building materials. But despite hemp's growing popularity, an outdated and misguided Federal policy – created in the 1930s – currently prevents U.S. farmers from growing this nutritious, versatile, and eco-friendly crop.
It is time for Federal policy on industrial hemp to reflect today's reality and ensure a better tomorrow for America's families and farmers, the economy and our planet.
As more Americans recognize the health and environmental benefits of hemp products, hemp farming promises job creation and economic opportunity for farmers and manufacturers, and ensures that nutritious foods are more accessible and affordable for consumers. In turn this means healthier lifestyles, a stronger economy, and a more sustainable world.
Now in its fourth year, Hemp History Week is a nation-wide education campaign and marketing program that seeks to renew strong support for hemp farming in the U.S. while raising awareness about the benefits of hemp products. The 4th Annual campaign will include grass-roots events across the country, nationwide retail promotions, a day of action, and a national restaurant program.
Through Hemp History Week 2013, we will:
- Celebrate America's rich history with industrial hemp before it was outlawed and educate the public about the barriers to hemp farming in the United States.
- Advocate for a federal policy change while sending a strong, positive message to President Barack Obama and Congress to remove barriers to hemp farming and let farmers grow the versatile and profitable crop.
- Engage consumers by showcasing the range of hemp products available and the nutritional as well as environmental benefits that they provide.
The 4th Annual Hemp History Week will take place the week of June 3-9, 2013. Please get involved to show your support and celebrate Hemp: Our History, Our Future!
