Canadian Rockies Hemp Corp. receives funding to support Canada’s efforts to become a leader in the global hemp
fiber and sustainable inputs markets. 

June 22, 2022 - Bruderheim, Alberta – Growing hemp for fiber has been a limited industry in Canada for many years, largely due to gaps in the hemp fiber supply chain – specifically there were no commercial processors in Canada. However, in 2022 Canadian Rockies Hemp Corporation (CRHC) commissioned Canada’s largest commercial hemp fiber processing facility in Bruderheim, AB. The global market demand for sustainable green products has increased substantially and CRHC is stepping up to help meet this demand. 

However, another significant gap in the supply chain exists – there is a lack of hemp varieties / seed in Canada for fiber production. Most of the approved hemp varieties in Canada are for grain production, not fiber, and the difference significantly impacts profits for farmers and CRHC’s ability to expand its feedstock production. Current hemp cultivation in Canada is almost entirely for hemp grain (food) production. Farmers growing hemp for grain combine the hemp plant for seed and then must manage the residual straw (fiber) left on the fields. They can bale the straw but without a buyer many farmers are forced to leave hemp bales sitting on farms, waiting for a purchaser, or burn the straw.  

To solve this problem, CRHC is leading a large-scale research project, with funding assistance from Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), a five-year, $3 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments. This project will trial hemp varieties that are specifically for growing fiber, with the goal of adding varieties to Canada’s current List of Approved Cultivars (LOAC) varieties. 

Seed breeding programs strive to bring farmers the best genetics to service their needs. Those needs are constantly changing as the environment, pests, yield potentials, and market demands shift. Although hemp has been grown in Canada since 1998 and is now one of the largest producing countries in the world, nearly all hemp cultivation is for grain production, which has resulted in demand for high performing “grain” type varieties. Desired grain traits include short stature, bushy branching, low bast content, and high seed yield. However, the desired traits for hemp grain cultivation are the opposite of the traits that are desirable for single-purpose fiber production. The hemp fiber industry requires a variety (ideally multiple varieties) that are high yielding, high bast fiber content, monopodial (single stalk, no branching), and have a later maturity date.