EVALUATION

Western Canada Hemp Conference

April 20^th , 2022

Edmonton International Airport

REGISTRATION – surpassed targets with the Edmonton Region heavily represented and a diverse array of affiliations.

Attendance. The Conference attracted 136 On-line registrations that included 97 paid admissions plus 7 co-hosts/admin, 5 AV/marketing suppliers, 10 speakers/ panelists, 5 gratis (students, speaker spouse), and 12 sponsors. Attendance of 136 was maintained as 6 registered didn’t appear, while 6 attendees were unregistered guests and not charged.

Location. The Conference was held in Edmonton with most attendees coming from the Region and Northern Alberta. Northern Alberta – 5.3%, Edmonton Region – 71.7%, Central Alberta – 8.6%, Calgary Region – 8.6%, Southern Alberta – 1.3%, Other – 4.6% (Saskatoon, Vancouver, Ottawa, Missoula, Denver).

Diversity. The registration of 136 exceeded both the initial target of 100 and adjusted target of 125 before April. Diversity was realized as the 95 affiliations included: federal/ provincial/ municipal public sector, farmers and farm suppliers, investors and NGOS, researchers and consultants, and producers of hemp products.

8th Fire Innovations	Calihoo Growers Cooperative	Framl& Capital	MP for Yellowhead	Sapphari Canada Inc
Agriculture & Food Council	Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance	Government of AB	MITACS	Smoky River Region Eco Dev
Agriculture & Forestry	Canadian Rockies Agricutural Inc	Green Thumb Hydroponics	Moskalyk Farm	TEC Edmonton
ALA Midas Capital Inc	Carlisle Consulting	GWN Innovations	My Robots	Techfibre Industries
AB Agriculture & Forestry	City of Edmonton	H&H Metal Products	National Research Council – IRAP	The City of Spruce Grove
AB Council of Technologies	City of Leduc – Eco Dev	Hempco Canada	Natty Sask Farms	The Cousins Group of Companies
AB Eco Dev & Trade	CJZ Investment	HempE Distribution Inc.	Natural Fibre Technologies	The Xyhemp Corporation
AB Innovates	Clark Ecoscience & Sustainabiility	Hybrid 360 L&scaping	NISP Canada	Town of Devon
AB MLA – Drayton Valley – Devon	Clean Energy Tech Centre	Ian Hope Associates	NorQuest College	Town of Drayton Valley
AB Thermal Corporation	Co-op Dev	Ind Hemp Consultant, Canada	Northern AB Institute of Tech	Trigon Machine Solutions
AON Risk Solutions	Core-source Solutions	Ind Hemp Tech Centre AB	Olds College Centre for Innovation	U of AB
Artemis In Montem	County of Barrhead	Inkubate Packaging	Olds College Tech Access Centre	U of AB – Arts
Assoc of AB Agricultural Fieldmen	David Aplin Recruiting	InnoTech AB	OPTIMUM Process Solutions	U of AB – Business
Atomic Star Inc.	Diamond Process Solutions	Innovation Clusters	PBR Laboratories	U of AB – Chemistry
Aurora Cannabis	AB Eco Dev & Trade	Innovative Reduction Strategies	P’s & Q’s Consulting	Urban to Rural Co-op
AWE Solutions	Eco-Ouest	Lamont County Eco Dev	Raintree Financial
Ballad Consulting Group	Edmonton Eco Dev	Leduc-Nisku Eco Dev Assoc	Renew Biotech
Biocomposites Group	Edmonton International Airport	Light Sculpture	RJ AG TECH
Brazeau County	EFC-CORP	MacEwan U – Business	Rocky Mountain Extracts Corp
Business on Camera	Enhanced Capital Recovery	Mehr Holdings	Rural Roots to Climate Solutions

EXPECTATIONS – appear to have been exceeded with several event features noted: organization, networking, and education.

On-line registrants received a request three times (April 21^st, April 25^th, and April 29th) to evaluate the Conference. With each campaign approximately 60% opened each email with 17% (23) completing the survey request. Incorporated in the April 25^th and April 29^th emails was notice that all Conference presentations were posted at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsnf1B111aPvLli_ayqQfpOldMc4j6CaM

EVALUATION – Creating the Western Canada Hemp Industry

You may have attended the Western Canada Hemp Industry Conference – April 20th. If so, please fill in the following and REPLY

Overall Expectations:

1 – Low  …  3 – Moderate … 5 – High

Anticipated ___   Received ___

Comments:

The sample respondents had Moderate Expectations: Anticipated 3.22. Expectations were exceeded by 0.85, Received 4.07. The associated comments now follow with comments of those whose expectations were and were not exceeded.

Expectations Exceeded by 4.0

• Didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. Good job Perry and team!

Expectations Exceeded by 2.0  

• Warm regards
• Looking forward to receiving presenters power point presentations
• Great info on the hemp industry from varieties to grow through to end uses.  Also great networking opportunity.
• Very good event. The next event should be held closer/in the City. A Contact directory for all the attendees would be advantageous. Perry was excellent as a moderator, humorous and serious enough to wrangle in the giddy crowd. 2) The information in the workshop would have benefited greatly from a “World Cafe” style of crowd participation: facilitators stay at their tables, while participants are free to mill about and contribute their thoughts/ideas to as many or all sessions as they like. The Moderator calls out 5 minute intervals so the participants can balance their contributions at each station. This enables less restriction on the participants, and can enhance the quality of information gleaned in the workshop. Having 2 one hour World Cafe sessions is ample time for participants to share their ideas. As well, enabling movement around the room keeps the blood flowing, and keeps participants engaged in the process, realizing they have much to contribute in the various areas within a limited time. Only one drawback I overheard: people spoke of the room being cramped and too warm; for the World Cafe, moving around would have allowed a break from the room, as the foyer could have been used for stations as well. I’m looking forward to the next ABC Tech event already.

Expectations Exceeded by 1.5

• The event was organized incredibly well. The speakers were very educational and increased my understanding of the topic immensely.

Expectations Exceeded by 1.0

• I really enjoyed learning about the strengths and struggles of the hemp industry.  I enjoyed meeting so many different people at the event as well.  It was a great mix of people and discussions.  I would love to host another event here for ABC Tech.
• Excellent event, was impressed to have time for problem solving and collaboration. Looking forward to connecting via action teams! 😊 Moderator was excellent at keeping us on time, and sessions were thoughtful and thought provoking. Not sure I would have gone political with the aboriginal context, but it was good to hear who/what/why are interested in this industry also. And location good… have never been but it worked well. Thank you for taking the lead on getting us all in the same room!

• Attended the conference to learn about the Industrial Hemp Industry and did not expect to make valuable connections.
• I learned so much! I am very interested in learning more, especially about how/who is involved in the oversight of the industry here in AB.

Expectations Exceeded by 0.5

• I wanted to cc my colleagues in here and thank you again for providing us with three student tickets to attend the Western Canada Hemp Industry Conference on April 20th. We would not have been able to attend this conference if it wasn’t for the contributions from Alberta Council of Technologies and Aurora Cannabis.

Expectations Met 0.0

• I was very happy with the level of conversation had by the attending. There seemed to be very good traction made. A few of the presentations took away from the experience in the way that they strayed from the purpose of the conference. I was looking for directed, strategic information that helped the industry hone in on actions. The discussion breakouts handled this well, but I wanted continuity in the presentations. Last thought; it would be good at future conferences to have hemp food featured either at lunch or as a snack.
• This event far exceeded my expectations and delivered a ton of value.  Great group of people as well!  I was facilitating some of the discussion and forgot to write my name on the back that I am interested in taking Action and Supporting in any way that I can.  Thanks again.
• Excellent conference and would like to have more presenters that are actually developing processing technologies and businesses  (Sunstrand, Natural Fibre Tech). Less consultants that only study, present data and want more funding for continued studies (NAPHI)not a lot of new info or speakers for those who are already knowledgeable of this sector in Alberta. But the networking and new faces more than made up for it. Discussion groups re-visited conversations that are already underway (e.g. eco-ouest led initiative; Hemp Trade Alliance) but engaged new people in the conversation. So I hope this recruits to existing activity rather than competes or duplicates.
• Not a lot of new info or speakers for those who are already knowledgeable of this sector in Alberta. But the networking and new faces more than made up for it. Discussion groups re-visited conversations that are already underway (e.g. eco-ouest led initiative; Hemp Trade Alliance) but engaged new people in the conversation. so I hope this recruits to existing activity rather than competes or duplicates.
• It is great to have lots of speakers, but I like a few more and to be able to get more information from them. Carl Martel had some really innovative ideas and he barely scraped the surface.

Expectations Not Met -0.1

• No comment provided

Other

• Negative: although I can see a certain humor in it, it probably would do no harm to find another date and another room for the next conference to get the hemp industry away from a drug related image; next time maybe at a bigger venue to allow even more people to join; more detailed information about the conference, the guests/speakers, their affiliation and their presentation topics prior to the event would be an asset. positive: very comprehensive event about the industry; very diverse participants; enriching, logically and well-structured program; all in all it was an crucial event for the hemp industry and its actors and there was this sense of community which is significant to build a vital and lasting network.

Pre-Conference – Industry Development Objectives

Prior to the Conference (Feb/Mar) we contacted parties that had already registered with the following question. Twenty-nine (29) responded. Their input was the source for identifying issues and 11 objectives for developing Western Canada’s hemp industry.

Transportation. Getting the hemp product to market efficiently and economically..

Industry Advocacy. Establishing cooperative relationships essential for businesses to prosper. Include: communications and public affairs, and the role of co-operatives and associations.

Industry Standards. Creating safety standards for hemp products and production.

Farm Supplies. Ensuring the supply of goods and processes for farms. Include: farmers, seeds and seed cleaners, fertilizer and water, and contractor relations.

Research – Plant Management. Innovation supporting hemp farming production and harvesting. Include: grain growth, resilience and whole plant usage, genetics, fertilizers and water, emerging technologies and conveyance of innovation to farming.

Research – Product Applications. Innovation in developing value-added hemp products and their introduction to the market. Include: supply chain management, plant usage, food-stock and equipment.

Fiber Processing. Ensuring the availability of fiber and accessible decortication capacity.

Marketing. Identifying and developing hemp industry markets. Include: branding, messaging, linkage to competitive products, advising farmers, and the role of associations.

Education. Ensuring continuous and contemporary learning fitting for each industry segment. Include: public, farmers, investors, processing, government.

Financing. Ensuring access to capital for industry development. Include: government, research, farmers, investors.Regulations. Government regulations that recognize the differences between hemp and cannabis. Include: legislation that is transparent and equitable, incentives, streamlining administration.

The 11 were the subject of the Conference’s roundtable discussions for deriving resolutions and associated volunteers for executing the resolutions.

What are the primary issues that need to be resolved to create a hemp industry in Western Canada?  Briefly describe the top 3.

Primary: Here are 5 consolidated “top issues”

1) Market development and product acceptance

• Discover and develop market needs first instead of growing and cause oversupply price volatility
• Get product acceptance in the respective consumer group
• Farmers need to be confident there is a viable market
• Getting the product to markets
• Attitudes of public
• Better understanding of the opportunities available

2) Regulation, legislation, and public trust

• Change Schedule 2 controlled substance act
• Equitable and transparent application of the legislation
• CBD Extraction ie/ government regulation
• GRAS certified
• Ignorance around hemp – breaking old stereotypes (confusing hemp with marijuana)
• Government recognition of hemp as a dense highly nutritious food source safe for human and animal consumption
• Public education / Education / Need to inform the farmers

3) Processing infrastructure and scale economics

• Lack of commercial decorticating
• Decortication – operating at the right size and in the right place(s)
• Economically viable fiber processing
• What are the machinery costs for small start ups? 10 acres
• Creation of standards (also supports market access)

4) Finance, investment, and business viability

• Financial support from Government for new industry development
• Access to capital
• Business case for farmers

5) Supply chain, value chain coordination, and full-plant utilization

• Establishing a secure supply chain
• Value chain
• Access to fiber
• Transparency between grower and contractor
• More cooperation with farmers wanting to grow hemp
• Usage of the whole plant / Utilization of all plant material

1^st Issue 2^nd issue 3^rd issue

Discover and develop market needs first instead of growing and cause oversupply price volatility.	Collaboration instead of operating in silos; operate on the basis of strengths – core competencies	Seed cultivar regulations to anticipate fiber feed stock requirements based on market demand.
Financial support from Government for new industry development	Market development for hemp products	Access to financing
Get product acceptance in the respective consumer group	Convince existing industries to accept alternative products	Develop strategies that demonstrate that the hemp products can replace products that near the end of their life cycle
Change Schedule 2 controlled substance act	Allow for leaves/ flowers of hemp to be harvested	Create market for sale of hemp seeds, fibre, oil to compete
Establishing a secure supply chain	Building downstream fibre processing industries and final product manufacturing complex	Creating consumer demand to pull products through the supply chain
Econonically viable fiber processing	thc restrictions	Lack of demand for fiber
Creation of standards	Education and awareness – hemp vs. marijuana	Research
Business case for farmers	Innovation lab for inventors	Education on this emerging industry
Attitudes of public	Legalization	Clear price structure
What are the machinery costs for small start ups? 10 acres	Need to know the grants and investment groups available for industrial hemp.	What markets are buying hemp products? connection to supply chain
Lack of commercial decorticating	Regulatory restrictions for growing and harvesting
Farmers need to be confident there is a viable market	Marketing and education about industrial hemp must be greatly increased	There should be more mutual support between the industrial hemp and medical hemp/cannabis industries
Access to fiber	Fiber collection	Innovation assistance
Access to capital	Access to markets
Public education	Fiber processing	Whole plant utilization
Value chain	Commercial viability	Get on the radar of farmers
Usage of the whole plant
Education	Awareness / Networking	Branding
Equitable and transparent application of the legislation	Industry’s responsibility associated with consumer behaviour; liability plus CSR	Public education
Ignorance around hemp – breaking old stereo types – ex:) confusing hemp with marijuana	Streamlining government regulations for farmers – the process is so difficult that many potential farmers will not bother with the hassle.	More avenues of getting the word out to farmers, producers, etc. on what the regulations are, what is changing and what the opportunities are. This information is still thought of as a secret.
Gouvernment recognition of hemp as a dense highly nutritious food source safe for human and animal consumption.	Legitimate and professional associations involved in the promotion of hemp derivatives as medically therapeutic and important.	Clear country of origin for hemp so that Canadian grown products are distinguished for Canadian packaged goods with imported seeds.
Utilization of all plant material	Livestock approval	Stabilization of markets
Need to informe the farmers	Need a decortication plant in the North	Secure the supplies with the farmers
Better understanding of the opportunities available	Sufficient volume (raw materials and decortication equipment) to allow rapid scale-up	Additional commercialization opportunities
GRAS certified	hemp moved to ag dept of fed gov	only THC derivatives in controlled substance drug category
Decortication – Operating at the right size and in the right place(s)	Build local and international market demand by developing competitive products	Develop producer knowledge to maximize productivity
Transparency between grower and contractor	Grain advances to the grower	More registered seed cleaners
Getting the product to markets	Research ie/ Ethanol and Feed for cattle	Regulation and Incentives
CBD Extraction ie/ government regulation	Production ie/ high nutrient user	Communications ie/ stakeholders, community groups & influencers, staff, training & recruitment
More cooperation with farmers wanting to grow hemp	More education to the farmers about hemp growing and about how the hemp industrial marketing is currently set	Hemp growers need control over their own seeds so we have a lower cost and a better hemp varieties suited for our climate,
Processing	Markets	Supply
Adequate processing facilities	Decouple industrial hemp from cannabis regulations	Reliable crop production/ harvesting techniques
GOV. FUNDING SPECIFIC TO NEW HEMP ENTERPRISE	ON FARM FUNDING AND RESEARCH GRANTS	WESTERN CAN GROUP LIKE CHTA BUT FOCUSED ON WEST