Rising Oil Costs Make Natural Product Viable Alternative

The provincial hemp industry is at a pivotal time, the president of the Ontario Hemp Alliance says.

"The rapidly increasing cost of oil is putting a lot of industries into a serious mode of pursuing bio fibres and alternative sources for energy," Gordon Scheifele says. "A year or six months ago, it was only curiosity or interest."

Industrial hemp is an alternative to synthetic materials for products, including car interior linings, plastics and carpet backing. Hemp is also used to produce cooking oils and other food products, Scheifele says.

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