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The Six Nations Economic Development Commission (SNEDC) has identified commercial hemp production as an area of potential economic development and job creation. To this end, one of its members and vice-chairman, Terrence Jamison has been actively researching potential opportunities in the emerging hemp industry on behalf of the SNEDC since 1996. Hemp has been targeted by the SNEDC for both its agricultural value (economic, environmental, and with the aim of reducing the current dependence on soy beans) and for the potential to develop a value adding hemp processing industry on the reserve.
In the spring of 1997, Natural Hemphjasis, on behalf of the SNEDC, applied for a permit to grow hemp for research purposes, to better evaluate the agricultural viability of growing hemp in the Grand River Reserve’s vicinity, and to gain experience in the seeding and harvesting of this new crop. This application was successful, and a research permit was granted for both the growing of hemp fibre and seed - the first such permit to be granted to a Native community to the best of our knowledge.
In May of 1998, Six Nations farmer Barry Hill received a license to grow industrial hemp for commercial purposes. A 10 acre plot was planted for grain (seed) and fibre on the Six Nations Reserve at the end of May. The Six Nations Economic Development Commission is in the process of researching the primary processing required to take this crop to market.
As hemp will, in time, likely become another agricultural commodity, competing for agricultural land with other more established crops such as corn and soy beans, the SNEDC considers the real opportunity of hemp is in developing a processing and manufacturing infrastructure to produce hemp products, and therefore attract investment and create jobs for the reserve. Six Nations farmers are interested in and are gaining experience growing hemp, but since the SNEDC's mandate is to support new business ventures, rather than enter into business themselves, the SNEDC is currently looking for business partners interested in establishing a hemp processing industry on the reserve. Any inquiries should be directed to:
Terrence Jamison
Six Nations Economic Development Commission
P.O. Box 5000
Ohsweken, Ontario
N0A 1M0
(519) 445-0093 phone
(519) 445-4749 fax
snecdev@execulink.com