Royal Agricultural Fair Includes Hemp in New Food Exhibit
At this year's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair there is a new section named 'Food to Your Good Health!' The Teacher Resource Kit from the Royal describes, "Food to Your Good Health! was created to address the health issues many Canadians, young and old are facing. Smart choices are key to a healthy lifestyle that keeps you looking good and feeling great. The food value chain begins with farmers who grow wholesome quality food. Researchers in the agri-food industry are discovering new nutritional and health benefits from foods, leading to new value-added products designed to enhance our health." Selected organizations and companies for this section include: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Subway, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, Ambrosia Apples, Nestle and Hempola Valley Farms.
"We are delighted to be part of this major new section at the Royal," comments Greg Herriott, president of Hempola, "the reaction thus far has been excellent." According to industry experts, Canada has taken a global leadership role in the research, development and manufacturing of hemp food products. The Hempola display is set up with a country flare. Complete with natural arbour, huge plank harvest table and a unique log picnic table for visitors, it's like a warm little park within the fair. The design earned Hempola first prize for Organic Commercial Display. "We just received the award yesterday afternoon," states Herriott, "it was enough to simply be part of 'Royal.' Our entire company is putting a huge effort into this and we're very delighted to receive such recognition."
The Hempola product representation is impressive too: Omega 3 salad dressings, high protein pancakes, Omega 3 and protein brownies, gluten free and protein rich flour, Omega rich cold pressed oil; as well as skin care products… Hempola hand made moisturizing cream, popular West a-Nile-ate insect repellant and lip balm made famous at the American Music Awards. Hempola's primary mandate at the Royal is, as Herriott terms it, "try it, you'll like it." If you visit the booth, chances are you'll be treated to a few of their samples. "We're serving Hempola pancakes in the morning until 1 pm, then our brownies, and later on, our Omega 3 salad dressings." To round the Hempola program out, the company makes a presentation to the public every day at 11:30 in the 'Royal Education Ring.' The presentation is titled, 'The Wonders of Hemp.' The Teacher Resource Kit describes the talk, "Hemp - its botanical name: cannabis sativa, is one of Canada's newest crops… commercially grown since 1998. Yet, it is one of Canada's oldest crops… cultivated as early as the 1600's by Huron natives in the Georgian Bay areas. Learn about this plant… its history, its uses today as well as its potential for the future in Canada's agricultural community."
Also within the Hempola display are products made by other companies which Hempola supplies their ingredients to: a new beer named C'est What Homegrown Hemp Ale and an about-to-be-launched pet and equine nutrition line, called NuHemp. This interesting new concept includes products for dogs, cats and horses, designed to boost health, all containing hemp as the mainstay ingredient. Herriott describes, "hemp food is a nutrition powerhouse. On the one hand you have the highest concentration of Omega 3, 6 and 9 'good fats' and on the other hand you have an incredible protein and dietary fibre source that's gluten free. It tastes great… nutty, but with no allergies. And the real 'home run' is the vitamin E in hemp. It's not only a health benefit, it keeps these products fresh for months. It's only a matter of time until the Nestles of the world also discover the 'Wonders of Hemp'."
For more information contact Kelly Smith at 416-587-1446.
On the Web:
Hempola
Royal Agricultural Fair November 5-14, 2004: The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, National Trade Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
