On July 25, 2012 I became a Canadian citizen, now holding dual US/Canada citizenship! I have dedicated myself to Hemp and will continue to serve it to the best of my being! Thanks to all and especially to the Cannabis plant family!

Over the last week I have been out in the fields for the Hemp Sampling Season. So far we have visited 24 different farms and moving on to Saskatchewan and Alberta next. I will not be blogging much this month; however, in July there has been great movement to help bring hemp into the agriculture stream in the US. I would like to share the following with you and ask that you take action NOW!

1. On August 2, 2012  Sen. Ron Wyden, OR introduced S. 3501, the Senate companion bill to H.R. 1831, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011. This follows Wyden’s June 13, 2012 introduction of his hemp farming amendment to the Farm Bill in which he vocally made a committed stand for hemp from the Senate floor during Hemp History Week. Take the fate of hemp into your own hands. Please write or pick up the phone and call your Congressperson either in the House or Senate. Ask them to support HR 1831 in the House or S. 3501 in the Senate.  The time is now!
2. Over the last few months I have been working closely with Dave Seber of Hemp Shield and Dr. John Simonsen, Professor Wood Science & Engineering at the College of Forestry at Oregon State University (OSU). The OSU E Campus team and a select group of Hemp Professionals are offering WSE 266 Industrial Hemp, a for-credit Baccalaureate Core Course. This will be the first course offered that will focus 100% on Industrial Hemp. WSE 266 is offered through the E Campus and can be taken anywhere in the world that can access the internet. If you would like to enroll, please contact Laurie Schimleck at OSU: 541-737-4257.
3. This past month we learned the Obama’s has a hemp/cotton campaign scarf, in which he is using hemp to promote his campaign yet will not allow American farmers to grow it. Please check out the Huffington Post’s followup blog by Eric Steenstra, Executive Director of the Hemp Industries Association.
4. Check out the August issue of the Hemp Lifestyle Magazine. Enter to win over $450 worth of hemp products by submitting a picture of hemp (products, making foods with hemp, wearing hemp, building with hemp basically anything hempy) and look up my Top Hemp Products Section. I must admit the Mary Jane’s Hemp Vodka is mighty tasty with those herbaceous overtones; pick up a bottle soon!
5. Don’t forget Nutiva is hiring as well!

I’m off to walk more miles in the Canadian hemp fields. Thanks for reading and supporting NCC.