For Lawmakers it was Aloha 'Hemp' Friday

KIKI AM 990
Legislators from the State Senate and House Friday wore Aloha shirts made from hemp to Session at the State Capitol in honor of Earth Day Week. Earlier this month, the University of Hawaii planted its first hemp crop for research purposes. The study will measure the phytoremediation properties and biofuel potential of Industrial Hemp. Representative Cynthia Thielen (Kaneohe Bay, Kailua), a tireless advocate for Hawaii hemp production said, "Growing hemp in Hawaii is a no brainer because of its versatility, marketability, and sustainability. I’m thrilled that finally we are gaining traction on bringing this wonderful crop back as a mainstream agricultural product." 
http://www.kikiradio.com/articles/local-news-390646/for-lawmakers-it-was-aloha-hemp-13535338

Waimanalo family claims UH hemp study land belongs to them

Hawaii News Now
"They're planning on growing hemp on our land and we don't have any problems with it. We would just like some cooperation and some coordination with us, as the owners of course," says the family spokesman Austin Lorenzo.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/28780256/waimanalo-family-claims-uh-hemp-study-land-belongs-to-them

Hawaiʻi Ag lands Could Be Green Again with Industrial Hemp

Maui TV News
The high cost of feed in Hawaiʻi constrains cattle ranchers, who used to grow beef, but now just breed and ship calves to ranches and feed lots on the mainland. Industrial hemp feed has the potential to revive Hawaiʻi’s beef cattle industry. As a cash crop, it will boost all livestock production and other agricultural sectors too. Hemp seed is also a good food for humans. Oil extracted from the seed is rich in Omega 3 and 6 and has hundreds of commercial and nutritional applications. Biofuel is just one. Hemp fiber becomes thread and fabric; pulverized stalks mixed with water and binders, turns into a semi-structural insulation for building Hawaiʻi homes. Commercial hemp grows as dense green fields of 12-foot plants that will mitigate run-off, dust and brush fire problems in old cane and pineapple fields.
http://mauitvnews.com/blog/2015/04/10/hawai%CA%BBi-ag-lands-could-be-green-again-with-industrial-hemp/

UH sets up industrial hemp research station

khon2
“Hemp is an important crop which not only has proven a viable money maker in other countries, but offers so much potential for Hawaii’s struggling agricultural industry,” said State Representative Cynthia Thielen (Kailua-Kaneohe Bay), adding, “My hope is that this small Waimanalo research field will be the first step in providing our farmers with an exciting new crop which can be grown throughout our islands.”
http://khon2.com/2015/04/10/uh-sets-up-industrial-hemp-research-station/

Year of Hope for Hemp

Honolulu Civil Beat
Last week, a constituent shared with me a very special February 1938 issue of Popular Mechanics. Inside the tan pages and tattered edges, along with other articles on the cutting edge technologies of its time, is an article on hemp, the “New Billion Dollar Crop.”

With new technologies, it was highly profitable to move ahead in 1938 with the industrial use of hemp. The article states, “[hemp] will displace imports of raw material and manufactured products produced by underpaid [laborers] and it will provide thousands of jobs for American workers throughout the land.”

Seventy-seven years have passed and the full potential for hemp production in the United States has remained dormant. Popular Magazine’s billion dollar estimate in 1938 calculates to $16.3 trillion today. The United States is the largest buyer of hemp worldwide for clothing, food, building materials, and more and imported $36.9 million of hemp products in 2013.  Our demand for hemp only increases over the years and we already have manufacturers that work with unprocessed hemp.
http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/02/year-of-hope-for-hemp/

DEA Allows Hemp Seeds To Be Imported To Hawaii

The Weed Blog
Hemp once grew all over the United States. That of course was before the war on marijuana ramped up, and hemp was prohibited by the federal government. Slowly but surely, hemp is making a comeback in the United States. Last week the DEA approved the State of Hawaii to import hemp seeds from Australia.
http://www.theweedblog.com/dea-allows-hemp-seeds-to-be-imported-to-hawaii/

Hawaii may ‘grow’ its homes with hemp

The Maui News
Maui architect George Rixey, who is building the home, said he introduced the idea of using industrial hemp to the homeowners, who immediately jumped at the opportunity. "They were really excited about it," he said.
http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/594582/Hawaii-may--grow--its-homes-with-hemp.html?nav=10

UH Gets Federal Approval to Import Hemp Seed

Honolulu Civil Beat

The University of Hawaii has received a permit from federal Drug Enforcement Administration to import industrial hemp seeds from Australia.

The seeds will be used for Hawaii’s Industrial Hemp Research Project, which was created via a state law in 2014.

“This project is just the first step in establishing Hawaii as a leader in the growth and production of industrial hemp and its products,” Rep. Cynthia Thielen (Kailua-Kaneohe Bay) said in a press release Wednesday.

http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/01/uh-gets-federal-approval-to-import-hemp-seed/ 

Hawaii State Capitol to Fly Hemp Flag on Opening Day

Honolulu Civil Beat

On Wednesday, the opening day of the 2015 legislative session, Hawaii will join the U.S. Capitol and four other states in having flown an American-grown and -produced hemp flag.

State Rep. Cynthia Thielen, a Republican who has long advocated for hemp use, is sponsoring the local flag-raising and will borrow a flag from Colorado hemp advocate Michael Bowman.

Bowman, according to a press release from Thielen’s office, enlisted the help of area companies — including a Colorado hemp farmer — to make the flag.

http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/01/hawaii-state-capitol-to-fly-hemp-flag-on-opening-day/ 

Islands’ First ‘Hemp Home’ to Be Built on Maui

Maui Now

Maui is slated to become the first island in the state with a home built using industrial hemp.

Architect George Rixey will be opening the construction site for the new home at 101 North Kīhei on Friday, Jan. 30.

The public is encouraged to attend.

http://mauinow.com/2015/01/20/islands-first-hemp-home-to-be-built-on-maui/ 

Everybody Must Get Hemp

Honolulu Civil Beat
What crop can be grown without pesticides and has over 25,000 uses — from textiles, cosmetics, paper and food to medicine, biofuel and smoothies?

If you said hemp, you got it. My wife, Carol, knows the excellent nutritional value of hemp seeds and luckily for me, has been putting them in my smoothies for years!

Not to be confused with marijuana, hemp contains less than 0.3 percent of the psychoactive component THC, while marijuana contains between 5 and 20 percent. In other words, you can’t get high from hemp!
http://www.civilbeat.com/2014/12/everybody-must-get-hemp/