Producing industrial hemp in Quebec

Profile of Chris Judd

Chris Judd and his family are dairy producers in Shawville, Quebec. They milk over one hundred cows three times a day and grow grain corn, small cereals and forages on 1,200 ha of land as feed for the dairy herd, and for sale. Chris Judd has decided, however, to diversify the farm's production by growing some hemp.

Not to worry, industrial hemp is very different from the hemp that ends up being used as a drug. Firstly, the drug content in the variety of hemp used for industrial purposes is extremely low. Secondly, the industrial hemp is physically very different, growing about 12 feet high.

Even though industrial hemp is grown on a large scale in some European countries such as the Netherlands and Germany, this type of crop is not very common in Quebec. Hemp was once one of the most popular crops for producing fiber materials, but was banned completely after World War II in an attempt to eliminate the production of the drug-producing variety. Slowly, the restrictions on growing hemp are being relaxed as it has become evident that hemp has many other advantages as a crop for farmers. Which poses the question, what made Chris Judd decide to become an industrial hemp producer? Tenica Keifer, an acquaintance of Judd, had obtained a government permit to grow industrial hemp. Since she needed a farmer to grow this experimental crop, Chris Judd accepted to help in her project. First, the sandy soils found in the Judd's fields were perfect to cultivate hemp since this crop grows best in soils with high pH that drain easily. Then, the fact that hemp is an unusual and new crop to grow made the project very interesting Chris Judd, who likes to face new challenges.

Hemp can be used in many ways. The seeds can be crushed to produce oil, producing a very fine oil which is hypo-allergenic, a potential advantage in the marketplace as a cosmetic. It also has a particular taste that makes for an exquisite salad dressing! What is left after the hemp seeds have been crushed for oil can be used as high-protein feed for farm animals. Fibers obtained from the stalk of the hemp plant are used as an insulating material and in the fabrication of clothing material, seat covers, ropes and door panels - just to name a few uses. Finally, what is left after the fibers have been extracted from the hemp can be used as high-quality bedding for horses.

Chris Judd admits that there are many advantages to grow hemp. It is easy to grow and needs no herbicide applications since it exhibits very vigorous growth and doesn't give the weds a chance to compete. Also, hemp offers good market potential as an alternate crop for farmers to grow due to its diverse manufacturing properties and its versatility. Government regulations constitute the main limitation to the expansion of industrial hemp in Quebec at the moment, but this difficulty will likely be removed in the short-term as field trials prove the qualities of the product.

What will Chris Judd do with the hemp crop once it is ready for harvest? Before being sold, the crop will need to be approved by Agriculture Canada (the drug content must be under a certain level), and then it will be sold to processors to be made into clothes, soaps, etc. Even though the 13 ha of hemp grown on the Judd farm in 1998 represents only a small portion of the farm's output, Chris Judd is hoping that hemp will eventually constitute substantial additional income in following years.