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DEAR MEMBERSHIP
The last issue of the Journal of the International
Hemp Association proved to be our most popular yet, and we are seeing more small
distributors carry it. Suggestions for additional venues would be appreciated.
This issue was produced by Dr. Hayo van der Werf in Colmar, France. Peer review and
editing was contributed by our members via telefax, the Internet and conventional
post.
In mid-May, David Watson and Rob Clarke traveled to the Vavilov
Research Institute in St. Petersburg to begin the VIR/IHA Cannabis Germplasm
Preservation Project for 1996. The project has once again been supported solely by
generous donations from IHA members Joyce Donoghue (US$10,000), Ohio Hempery (US$500), J.
Craig Melville (US$130), Dr. Andrew Katelaris (US$100) and Hemptech (DF100). The
budget for the 1996 reproduction of about 90 accessions is US$17,500 and US$5,000 is still
owed. The Vavilov now has refrigeration equipment and electrical generators for
storing freshly reproduced seeds. Long-term refrigerated storage will allow
reproductions every 5 to 10 years or more, rather than every 3 to 5 years, as with ambient
temperature storage. This will enable us to complete the first round of
reproductions in 1996 or 1997, and begin to characterize the accessions with the aim of
building a core collection for use by hemp breeders. A Cannabis core-collection
would contain only accessions with genes for unique agronomic traits, and duplicate
accessions would no longer need to be maintained. Once a smaller core collection
has been established, the work and expense of maintaining it will be much reduced, and it
will be much easier for breeders to use. The VIR also supplied the IHA with 20
seeds from each of the approximately 400 accessions of its entire Cannabis collection
for analysis of fatty acid content, to be performed by Roland Theimer and Helga Mölleken
at Bergische Universität in Germany. Results of this survey will appear in a later
issue of this journal.
The IHA "Cannabis Educational Package" offer appearing
on the back cover of our last issue has been well-received by our members, and the first
25 have been distributed. Many of our members are involved in the hemp business and
have made generous donations of their products and explanatory information. As a
result, the contents of the Cannabis Educational Package has considerably increased
from our original modest goal, and we hope that the assortment of hemp items and
information will continue to grow. In the future, we would like to include
additional supplementary transparencies and samples earmarked for the use of specific Cannabis
specialty interest groups.
The bad news is that the Colorado bill was again (rather narrowly)
defeated, primarily due to misguided intervention from the drug-enforcement lobby.
Our condolences to those who have worked so hard on this project. Maybe
later..... The good news is that the first American industrial hemp initiatives
passed in Hawaii on April 12 and in Vermont on May 16. Both of these bills were less
ambitious than the Colorado bill and that may have helped their passage.
With the German legalization of industrial Cannabis for this
growing season, their situation is developing rapidly. Farmers with end-user
contracts have planted and will be eligible to receive a subsidy of approximately
DM1500/hectare. These recent developments will inevitably result in cheaper and
logistically easier raw material sourcing for the German hemp movement.
The IHA has continued its policy of making small amounts (5 kg) of seed
available to interested parties and presently has 12 varieties available. Some of
these seed varieties are EC-approved for subsidy in European member countries. Those
in the Southern Hemisphere may want to order soon for the September planting season.
However, they should be aware that these varieties were developed for latitudes
greater than 40 degrees and will flower prematurely in tropical environments.
It is not too early for a reminder that several hemp events are being
held for this Autumn. Preliminary announcements have even been made for conferences
scheduled in the Spring of 97, for details see page 45 of this issue.
Overall, this year promises to be one of steady progress. Members
are invited to contact us if we can be of any assistance (and vice-versa!).
Irene Bijl Treasurer |
Robert Clarke Projects Manager |
David Pate Secretary |
David Watson Chairman |
Hayo van der Werf Editor-in-Chief |