The
8th Annual HIA Convention was held
at the Maui Lu Resort in Kihei, Hawaii from October
4th through 7th, 2001. The
HIA and Vote Hemp Boards met before the event,
and many attendees also chose to arrive early
to enjoy the Aloha Spirit of the beautiful
islands. Meetings and Meals were held in a large
authentic Polynesian Long House, and we want to
thank our gracious hostesses Auntie Aloha, Isabelle,
and Tia. Guests were greeted with beautiful flower
leis, courtesy of Cindy Biggers. Hawaiian foods
by Ohelo and raw organic foods by Kind Food (Eli,
Ethan and Deja) were served with yummy hemp foods
as an addition to the menu. Thanks go to these
companies for food contributions: Hemp Oil Canada
(shelled hemp seed), Hempola (salad dressings),
HempNut (whole food bars, cookies, nut butter
and cookbooks), Ruth's Hemp Foods (salad dressings),
Humboldt Hemp Foods (coffee and chips), Nutiva
(cans of hulled hemp seed), Nature’s Path
(cereal), Rejuvenative Foods (hempini, nut butters
and chocolate), and Eli Schatz (fresh coconuts).
Thanks also to our generous sponsors Dr. Bronner's
Magic Soaps and Back Stage Studio. Fifty-seven
attendees from forty companies were represented.
International guests from Australia, China, England
and Japan joined Americans for two days of meetings
and fun in the sun.
Thursday we gathered for
dinner and were blessed by Kahuna Charles Ka'upu's
storytelling songs and entertained by mother and
daughter Hula dancers. An announcement was made
of the new HIA Board of Directors. Candi Penn
was appointed Executive Director, and Cindy Biggers
continues as President. Vice President Steve Levine,
and Treasurer John Dvorak were presented. Chris
Conrad, Lenda Hand and David Frankel are now on
the Board, as the results of the election revealed,
and Lenda will serve as Secretary. Carolyn Moran
and Mari Kane were given a round of applause as
they retire. Their service to the HIA is much
appreciated. All the attendees introduced themselves
and gave a brief description of the work they
are doing in the hemp industry. (A list of attendees
is available upon request.) Thanks goes to Randall
Rospond who manned the sound system for the convention
and made recordings of the proceedings, which
will be made available to members.
Friday morning we ate and
listened to a presentation by Joe Sugarman, a
marketing expert who wrote the book Psychological
Triggers. He demonstrated these hints for
writing advertising copy and entertained us with
a great story about his Batman Credit Card. During
the afternoon break, the Vote Hemp legal team
and HIA Food & Oil Committee Chief, David
Bronner, met to discuss the tactics to be employed
against the DEA's new rulings, which we learned
about that day. With the Natural Products Expo
happening the following week, it was apparent
that the DEA had this planned to upset the market.
However, we were ready for it. With the TestPledge
Program in place and awareness over the year expanded,
the next step was a lawsuit. And you know the
rest.
Representative Cynthia Thielen
was our keynote speaker Friday night. The session
was open to the public and vendors displayed hemp
products for the press and visitors. Rep. Thielen
was awesome! She is a great speaker and does not
hold back from placing the blame on the DEA and
other federal agencies for not recognizing the
benefits of industrial hemp. Dan Paquin, who studied
hemp plants at the Hawaiian Hemp Project on Oahu,
in relation to detoxifying soil, had lots of charts
and amazing data to show us. The plants thrived
on poisons and turned them into benign substances,
purifying the soil. Dr. Dave West spoke, but was
unable to show a video he brought due to technical
difficulties. The HIA honored him with a Hemp
Achievement Award for his work with the Hawaiian
Hemp Project, which also comes with one free year
of HIA membership. Vote Hemp followed with legislative
updates and a report on the newly posted DEA regulations
and what was planned for action against them.
Several people who came to check out the convention
joined the HIA. So we welcome you!
International reports were
served with breakfast. Paul Benhaim from UK Hemp
Foods Association is now living in Australia,
after ten years of hemp work in England. His development
of foods, beginning with the popular "9Bar" (100,000
sold per month) has spread to mainstream stores
in England, and has been recently introduced in
North America, along with hemp breads. For years,
introducing hemp non-dairy ice cream to European
festivals was his passion. Paul showed and demonstrated
his latest project on hemp plastics — didgereedoos,
and promised to bring hemp plastic bags to the
marketplace in the near future. Protein powders
and freeze dried hemp oil are some of his other
projects in the works. He advised everyone to
charge for services rendered, something he learned
the hard way, after consulting for the Body Shop
without pay. Secondly, he pronounced, "Anything
is possible!" And lastly, "Play the game." Wear
a suit, walk with them and understand the mass
markets. "Hemp is just starting! Catch the excitement!"
Australian Phil Warner, with
his wife Kylie and baby William, spoke about the
broad scope of the industry there. Coming from
a background in filmmaking, he certainly knows
how to organize all the necessary parts to facilitate
a wide-ranging hemp industry. Their Eco Fibres
Industries has managed to integrate hemp into
existing uses and proposes to further expand in
the future. Their purpose is regional development
using diversity, creating clean, green, ethical
profit. Value chain management — supply,
process, market, and demand — has been the
key to their success. In nine years they have
changed legislation, improved seed varieties (temperate
to tropical), recruited growers, processors and
manufacturers, found forty-five investors, and
even have the support of the Australian Ex-Premier.
Projections for the next five years include work
on food legislation, and commercial legislation
for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Mozambique.
50,000 hectares are planned by 2007. There is
a global fiber shortage and hemp is an ideal solution,
especially since it can be a dual crop for food
and fiber. Each Mercedes car uses 32 kg of natural
fibers currently, including hemp. They plan to
increase this to 50 kg per car in the future.
Hemp's elasticity and tensile strength are higher
than all other natural fibers, plus the absorbency
and anti- bacterial qualities are superior. There
are thirteen breeding projects in Australia now,
and they have no THC restrictions. Integrated
strategies must consider barriers, and Phil presented
an honest evaluation of problems the industry
has in any country. Money for research, long term
contracts, seed access plans, education of farmers,
crop management, harvesting, delivery, and quality
standards are the real nitty-gritty of making
hemp a household word.
David Frankel reported on New
Zealand telling everyone that "The first seeds
are in the ground!" Don Wirtshafter returned from
a trip down under and reported that Adrian Clarke
in Australia has developed machinery that can
cut and decorticate green hemp stalks without
retting. It produces green hurds and bales of
de-gummed fibers that will work with the technology
of cotton machines. This breakthrough is an all-natural
process. Investment is welcomed.
Canadian reports from Larry
Duprey and Arthur Hanks were presented by Candi
Penn. Ninety-two farmers grew 1300 hectares of
hemp this year. Production is down due to overproduction
in the past two years and questions on the US
market front. Fluctuations like this are not uncommon
in new crop scenarios, like echinacea and ginseng.
Processing is increasing. Doubling of export licenses
is reflected in food and cosmetic sector growth.
Ag Canada is collecting data on hempseed exports
soon. The west had drought, with resulting feed
shortages, which may develop some interest in
hempseed, but approval must be given. Hempola
created a new commercial industrial product: hemp
oil wood stain. Western Canada's first fiber processor
opened: ErosionControlBlankets.com. They site
superior strength and moisture retention at a
lower cost in erosion prevention applications.
Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers plan a $15 million
fiber processing facility for their Manitoba cooperative.
Hemp fibers will supply matting, insulation, and
paper/cardboard recycling industries. The Industrial
Hemp Seed Development Company offers three Canadian
cultivars now. Ag Canada has feral seed trials
happening this year. Emphasis is on EFA profile,
higher GLA, shorter stature, seed yield and, to
a lesser degree, low THC. Media friendly Canada
has seen supportive, informative articles on hemp
foods in some major publications. The Hempcar
Tour was also a big hit, drawing TV,radio and
newspaper coverage. A new event, FIELD was held
in Saskatchewan with 100 attendees. HIA is invited
to attend next year to party in a hemp field.
Health Canada began its review and will develop
amendments. The HIA has submitted their concerns,
thanks to Ruth Shamai and Larry Duprey. Hemp Report
online readership has hit 40,000 hits per month.
New webmaster Tom Murphy has been a great help.
Donations are graciously accepted.
Michael Sutherland
spoke a bit about Yunnan Province, China where
there are 26 ethnic groups living and his projects
there. The beautiful intricate work of villagers
was shown. One of the inexpensive items produced
is a shopping bag, which the HIA plans to buy
in bulk and provide to members this next year.
The government is now starting to change its policy
regarding hemp, due to pressure from the U.S.
government. McCaffrey visited Kun Ming and went
with the army to cut down a hemp crop near the
border of Vietnam. Traditions are threatened there.
Support of diversity is important.
Rob Jungmann will be organizing
a branch of the HIA in Japan and he reported on
the great popularity of hemp there, with over
120 retail stores and some manufacturing. His
new company, Two Jupiters, is growing and processing
fiber, and making T-shirts now. They like to promote
events like mountain climbing and bike races to
build their image. At the Fuji Rock Fest there
were 30 hemp booths. Three hemp beers were served
to more than half a million people. Rob did interviews
with dozens of magazines just last week. They
like to report on the story of the people making
the products so the consumer knows the source.
One of his latest orders came from Sony —
30,000 T-shirts!
Anyone wanting to go for
a hike to the volcano, or a swim with the fish
and sea turtles, had an easy time of it, since
Kim Kelly was our excursion guide. She arranged
trips and drove the HIA van for the adventurous.
Thanks Kim, it made being a tourist more fun with
you!
Saturday night's dinner began
with several hula dances by Tia, and were followed
by a presentation from Rabbi Nathan Segal. His
intent was to show how opening your mind to new
ideas can be a challenge, so with compassion and
perseverance we educate about hemp and it's many
wonders. Chris Conrad roused the audience with
his usual flair. "Hemp for Victory! is needed
more now than ever." Five year achievement awards
were given out to the attending seven of the thirty-three
recipients, which coincidentally included our
Hawaiian hosts, Chris and Abby Grochowski of Sativa
Hemp Wear, and Oahu residents Shannon and Peter
Thielen of Island Hempwear. Congratulations to
those who have survived five years! A special
Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Christie
Bohling, for her work as one of the founders of
the HIA. Interspersed throughout the night, donated
hemp products were raffled off.
Thanks to the following companies
for generously donating to this fun and rewarding
tradition of gifting the goodies:
HIA - Hemp hat with H-leaf logo,
the last one from the 2000 convention
Monadnock Hemporium - A collector's
piece forest green U.S. HEMP (Kathy Trout) jean
jacket
Dash Hemp - Six hemp shirts (creator
of the HIA Hawaiian convention logo)
The Wonambi Company - Earth-friendly
doll
Canolio Cosmetics - Organic hemp
coffee, massage oil, bath oil, body milk and Lucie
Letourneau's new book, Le Chanvre
Chic Eco - Gift certificate for
a custom hemp shirt
HempReport.com - Gift certificate
for The Hemp Report
Nutiva, Inc. - Two Hemp Foods
& Oils for Health books and tropical chocolate
hemp bars
The Hemp Club - Visor hat and
flat hat (made in Canada)
Spirit Stream Trading - Bush
jacket (made in Canada)
Effort Industries - Two short-sleeved
T-shirts (made in Canada)
The Natural Order - Two long-sleeved
T-shirts (made in Canada)
Natural Emphasis - "Smoking"
frisbee
New Earth Trading - Two hemp
notebooks (made in Nepal)
AlpSnack - Energy snack bars
made with shelled hemp seed
Hemp Food Industries Association
- 9Bars, hemp snack bars
Sunnyvale Bakery - Bread
Humboldt Hemp Foods - Case of
Oh-Mega! organic hemp chips, Sumativa
hemp seed coffee blend and Dessert First!
chocolate and vegan carob cake mixes
Sweet Sativa - Hemp sprout earrings
Santa Barbara Hemp Company -
Six hemp hats and six hemp T-shirts
Hemp House - Gift basket of hemp
body care products
Hempology.org - Three CDs of
hemp history
People's Hemp - Four hand-loomed
hemp sani yi bags, hemp threads/101 uses/information,
two hemp/cotton shopping bags, one with drawstring
straps
Island Hemp Wear - Two organic
cotton T-shirts, newest hemp/cotton aloha shirt
The Hempest - Heart Song skin
care collection, Lavender Soothing bath collection
Prairie Emerald Hemp - Gift Basket
with bath & massage oil, moisturizing cream,
hand & body lotion, toasted hemp seeds, hulled
hemp and hemp coffee from Hemp Oil Canada
Hemp Trivia - Two sets of postcards,
the Inaugural Collection and International Collection,
and two posters, George Washington and Buddha
Chris Conrad, Mikki Norris and
Virginia Resner - Human Rights & the U.S.
Drug War books
Manastash - Backpack, shorts,
Tough Guy pants, plaid shirt with pearl snaps
and two Phatee Wear T-shirts, Growear striped
T-shirt and Hobo-Ecowear sweatpants
Sativa Hemp Wear - 100% hemp
shirt and hemp/silk shirt
Hempnut, Inc. - Cases of HempNut
cookies, HempNut butter, chocolate bars, lip balm
and HempNut Health and Cookbook books
Two Star Dog - Two pairs of 100%
hemp pants
Hemp U.S. Flag - 100% hemp American
flag (displayed on the stage)
Congratulations
to the HIA Convention Committee for organizing
a fabulous event! Thank you Cindy Biggers, Chris
and Abby Grochowski, David Frankel, Kim Kelly,
Manolo Paguadan and Candi Penn.
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