Original Articles

Regarding INDUSTRIAL HEMP: GLOBAL MARKETS AND PRICES (1997) by Valerie L. Vantreese in the Department of Agricultural Economics at University of Kentucky. Many think China banned hemp cultivation sometime in the last century. I know they did not as I purchased hundreds of tons of seed from them in those years. Here is confirmation: “China … Continue reading "INDUSTRIAL HEMP: GLOBAL MARKETS AND PRICES (1997)" ...

Comments of Richard Rose on the ProposedStandard of Identity for Primary Hempseed Products ASTM Subcommittee D.37.91 is considering primary hemp product standards of identity. The following is in reference to “hempseed” (one word) for technical uses and “hemp seed” (two words) for sowing uses. For decades, “hempseed” has been the existing convention to differentiate the … Continue reading "On a Standard of Identity for Primary Hempseed Products" ...

Here’s the story of the soyfoods industry standards for presentation to the FDA which I helped write in 1984-1986, from History Of Tofu and Tofu Products. Back then 37 years ago we had to type our comments on a typewriter, sign it with a pen, fold it in thirds, put in an envelope, address the … Continue reading "1986: Soyfoods Standards Development Timeline" ...

The HempNut Story           We believe HempNut is the greatest invention to happen to hempseed ever!  Most people agree that the outer shell is not very tasty, more for birds than for humans.  It’s dirty, with typical field contaminants such as pathogens and manure.  And the shell has trace amounts of THC on it, not … Continue reading "1996: The HempNut Story" ...

City of Baltimore Citizen Citation Baltimore was where I first introduced hemp foods, at ExpoEast in the convention center in September 1994. When my amazing PR agent Sandra Weinstein asked them to give me this Citizen’s Citation and why, they agreed! It was a surprise, I didn’t even know it was a Thing. “City of … Continue reading "1996: Citizen Citation" ...

Tofu cheese and rock ‘n’ roll Santa Rosa Press Democrat Business section, Sept 18 1994, by Brad Bollinger. What can you make of a guy who has an MBA, hair down below his shoulders and plays guest guitar with a band called the Pink Flamingos?           A budding business star, according to Inc. magazine.           … Continue reading "1994: Tofu cheese and rock ‘n’ roll" ...

This is a good way to visualize the latitudes of Europe with North America. It’s an important consideration for U.S. hemp farmers using European seed, especially varieties which are bred, developed, and certified for performance at the maintainers’ latitude. Moving even one degree south changes performance. Using Polish seed in Texas? Might be a problem. … Continue reading "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Magnitudes" ...

For Sale: Old School Hemp/Cannabis Collection. Intermediate and compliant hemp for fibre, grain, and dual purpose. These are not necessarily for cannabinoid or terpene production, although selections from them might be suitable for those applications. This is a germplasm collection of seventy varieties, mostly landraces from all over Europe and Asia. Parent lines have 100 … Continue reading "For Sale: Old School Hemp/Cannabis Collection" ...

For Sale: Old School Hemp/Cannabis Collection. Intermediate and compliant hemp for fibre, grain, and dual purpose. These are not necessarily for cannabinoid or terpene production, although selections from them might be suitable for those applications. This is a germplasm collection of seventy varieties, mostly landraces from all over Europe and Asia. Parent lines have 100 … Continue reading "Breeder Inquiry" ...

In September 1996 a few hempsters were asked to go to Window Rock in the Navajo Nation. Woody Harrelson, Chris Boucher, Michael Myers, Jim Robinson and I traveled there for 3 days, on our dime and at Christie Bohling and Patrick Lange’s request, to consult on hemp with the Navajo Nation administrators and a Judge. … Continue reading "1996: Hempsters Consult With the Navajo Nation" ...

Years before today’s companies even thought of starting, we won the Cannabis industry’s first awards, the Hemp Achievement Award in the Hemp Food category. Three of them, in fact, in just two years 1997/8, all for food innovation including HempNut brand shelled hempseed, the industry’s first. To: Assignments or News Editor Date: June 1, 1997 … Continue reading "1997: First Recipient of Award for Hempseed Food Achievement" ...

In the 1980s, in order to normalize Soyfoods which are foods made out of tofu or soymilk, I offered them in traditional American flavors and forms. Cottage Salad, soymilk, dips like Missing-Egg Salad and Tofummus, Soy-o yogurt, chocolate and strawberry puddings (Bill Cosby was big then), but also brands like LeTofu (similar to ice cream), … Continue reading "“Americanize” New Foods in Order to be Literally and Culturally Palatable" ...

Pres. Biden’s pick to head the FDA, Dr. Robert Califf, previously ran the agency under Obama. From Natural Products Insider: “There is nothing that I am aware of to suggest that Dr. Califf will be focused on supplements or CBD, in the short term at least,” said Ivan Wasserman, partner at the Amin Talati Wasserman … Continue reading "New FDA Comm: Status Quo on CBD?" ...

For years those growing non-Hemp CBD, typically marijuana or drug Cannabis >0.3% THC, have said it was less likely to uptake heavy metals and other toxins than Hemp. It was a silly assertion, of course, as Cannabis is Cannabis. Ironically, because of this canard Hemp might actually be “cleaner” than marijuana, as it may be … Continue reading "Marijuana = Hemp in Toxin Uptake" ...

In 1997 HIA asked me to start and manage the True Hemp Fabric Certification Program. It was the first certification program in the North American hemp industry. They thought a food guy wouldn’t know how to do this, but with no loopholes only Denny Finneran’s Crucial Creations registered. I also designed the Certification logo. NEWS … Continue reading "1997: HIA True Hemp Fabric Certification Program" ...