Marijuana Company of America and Global Hemp Group Issue Final Report on New Brunswick Hemp/CBD Project
GlobeNewswire•January 10, 2018
ESCONDIDO, Calif., Jan. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (“MCOA” or the “Company”) (MCOA), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, and Global Hemp Group, Inc. (“GHG”) (GHG.F) (GHG.F) (GBHPF) are pleased to provide a final report on the first phase of their industrial hemp project in New Brunswick.
On September 5, 2017, MCOA and GHG announced their joint venture to develop commercial hemp production on the Acadian peninsula of New Brunswick, Canada.
In this first phase of MCOA’s and GHG’s (the “Partners”) multi-phase hemp project, the Partners successfully cultivated industrial hemp during the 2017 growing season (see Phase One Hemp Trial Results below). For this phase of the project, the Partners only grew hemp for research purposes, as this was the first time in 20 years that industrial hemp was grown in the region. The objective of phase one was to re-introduce hemp into the area, to ensure that it could be productive under New Brunswick growing conditions, prior to significantly increasing cultivation acreage, and building a hemp processing facility in the region.
The Partners are preparing for proposed changes to Canadian legislation expected in 2018, that will permit cannabidiol (CBD) extraction from industrial hemp. Health Canada is currently consulting industry representatives regarding regulations that will accompany the new cannabis legislation expected by July 1, 2018.
The Partners are now focusing on the next season of crops. Farmers have been recruited and a minimum of 125 acres of hemp cultivation is planned for 2018, with the goal of increasing the acreage under cultivation to 1,000 acres by year three of the project. This first commercial crop will focus on CBD extraction. The Partners are currently considering sites in northeast New Brunswick to locate their processing facilities. In addition, discussions are underway regarding the purchase of extraction equipment for cannabinoids, and straw processing equipment for building materials. The companies expect the facilities to be in place and operational for the 2018 harvest in October.
Under the joint venture MCOA will facilitate access to international markets for the project’s CBD production, product development and distribution, while GHG will provide technical and management expertise. MCOA has Right of First Refusal as the primary off-taker of the cannabinoids from all future hemp cultivation projects.
RENEWAL OF GHG’S HEMP LICENSE IN CANADA
GHG’s industrial hemp license was renewed for 2018. Under current legislation, hemp flowers and leaves grown under field conditions cannot be processed. It is expected that this will be allowed under new 2018 regulations, but will still require additional licenses: one to extract the CBD and another to sell CBD for medical or non-medical purposes. In anticipation of this change, GHG will be applying for a license under the Narcotics Control Regulations (NCR) to extract CBD, and an additional license under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes (ACMPR) to sell it to wholesale and retail customers in Canada.
FINAL TRIAL RESULTS
The trial consisted of fifteen test plots with three different varieties and as many planting densities of hemp, in two different locations east and west of Bathurst.
The trials were sampled, and collected materials were measured at Collège Communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick (CCNB), Grand Falls laboratory, where standard drying and measuring procedures were applied to the hemp straw, flowers, and leaves. Straw yields averaged 1.0-2.5 T/ha, whereas the combined flowers and leaves of the plant averaged 1.25-2.10 T/ha. The Partners are confident that with an earlier planting date, adequate soil preparation, and a higher fertilizer application, yields will be improved in future seasons.
Cannabinoid analysis of the flowers and leaves was completed by RPC - Science & Engineering (RPC), an accredited laboratory located in Fredericton, NB. Contrary to expectations leaves, rather than the flowers, contained a greater concentration of CBD, largely explained by laboratory procedures. The highest concentration that was found was the CFX-1 leaf sample that resulted in 1.46% for the 30 kg/ha plant density compared to 1.17% for the flowers. Also, it should be noted that the CBD concentration in flowers is consistently higher at densities of 30 kg/ha across all varieties that were tested.
Frank Giese, an advisor to GHG, will consult on the 2018 cultivation to assist in increasing both plant yield and cannabinoid production. Through his experience, he has bridged the fundamentals of scientific research and hemp/cannabis breeding, as well as the use and development of modern cultivation and processing techniques in his breeding work. He has become proficient in breeding cannabinoid rich varieties of hemp, as well as being very experienced in auto flower breeding.
Donald Steinberg, CEO of MCOA, stated, “We are excited to complete the first phase of industrial hemp trials in Canada, and we look forward to continue expanding operations in Canada. Our joint venture with GHG allows MCOA the opportunity to expand the Company’s operations on an international level. Both Companies are excited about the endless possibilities for hemp derived CBD product this year in Canada.”
About Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
MCOA is a corporation which participates in: (1) product research and development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name “hempSMART™”, that targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated for medicinal and recreations use; and, (4) the expansion of its business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment mature and develop.
About Global Hemp Group Inc.
Global Hemp Group ("GHG"
is a publicly traded company founded in 2012, headquartered in British Columbia, Canada with base operations in Montreal and Southern California. The Company is focused on the production and processing of hemp and cannabis, and collaboration with companies that will enable GHG to develop and implement the Hemp Agro-Industrial Zone concept. Through partnerships, joint ventures and acquisitions, the Company will capture cash flow, revenues, and value, and establish a greater collective valuation.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-12G, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.
For more information, please visit the Company’s websites at:
MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com
hempSMART.com
NetworkNewsWires/MCOA
Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
Investor Relations
1+(888)-777-4362
IR@mcoa.club
Corporate Communications Contact:
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
GlobeNewswire•January 10, 2018
ESCONDIDO, Calif., Jan. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (“MCOA” or the “Company”) (MCOA), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, and Global Hemp Group, Inc. (“GHG”) (GHG.F) (GHG.F) (GBHPF) are pleased to provide a final report on the first phase of their industrial hemp project in New Brunswick.
On September 5, 2017, MCOA and GHG announced their joint venture to develop commercial hemp production on the Acadian peninsula of New Brunswick, Canada.
In this first phase of MCOA’s and GHG’s (the “Partners”) multi-phase hemp project, the Partners successfully cultivated industrial hemp during the 2017 growing season (see Phase One Hemp Trial Results below). For this phase of the project, the Partners only grew hemp for research purposes, as this was the first time in 20 years that industrial hemp was grown in the region. The objective of phase one was to re-introduce hemp into the area, to ensure that it could be productive under New Brunswick growing conditions, prior to significantly increasing cultivation acreage, and building a hemp processing facility in the region.
The Partners are preparing for proposed changes to Canadian legislation expected in 2018, that will permit cannabidiol (CBD) extraction from industrial hemp. Health Canada is currently consulting industry representatives regarding regulations that will accompany the new cannabis legislation expected by July 1, 2018.
The Partners are now focusing on the next season of crops. Farmers have been recruited and a minimum of 125 acres of hemp cultivation is planned for 2018, with the goal of increasing the acreage under cultivation to 1,000 acres by year three of the project. This first commercial crop will focus on CBD extraction. The Partners are currently considering sites in northeast New Brunswick to locate their processing facilities. In addition, discussions are underway regarding the purchase of extraction equipment for cannabinoids, and straw processing equipment for building materials. The companies expect the facilities to be in place and operational for the 2018 harvest in October.
Under the joint venture MCOA will facilitate access to international markets for the project’s CBD production, product development and distribution, while GHG will provide technical and management expertise. MCOA has Right of First Refusal as the primary off-taker of the cannabinoids from all future hemp cultivation projects.
RENEWAL OF GHG’S HEMP LICENSE IN CANADA
GHG’s industrial hemp license was renewed for 2018. Under current legislation, hemp flowers and leaves grown under field conditions cannot be processed. It is expected that this will be allowed under new 2018 regulations, but will still require additional licenses: one to extract the CBD and another to sell CBD for medical or non-medical purposes. In anticipation of this change, GHG will be applying for a license under the Narcotics Control Regulations (NCR) to extract CBD, and an additional license under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes (ACMPR) to sell it to wholesale and retail customers in Canada.
FINAL TRIAL RESULTS
The trial consisted of fifteen test plots with three different varieties and as many planting densities of hemp, in two different locations east and west of Bathurst.
The trials were sampled, and collected materials were measured at Collège Communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick (CCNB), Grand Falls laboratory, where standard drying and measuring procedures were applied to the hemp straw, flowers, and leaves. Straw yields averaged 1.0-2.5 T/ha, whereas the combined flowers and leaves of the plant averaged 1.25-2.10 T/ha. The Partners are confident that with an earlier planting date, adequate soil preparation, and a higher fertilizer application, yields will be improved in future seasons.
Cannabinoid analysis of the flowers and leaves was completed by RPC - Science & Engineering (RPC), an accredited laboratory located in Fredericton, NB. Contrary to expectations leaves, rather than the flowers, contained a greater concentration of CBD, largely explained by laboratory procedures. The highest concentration that was found was the CFX-1 leaf sample that resulted in 1.46% for the 30 kg/ha plant density compared to 1.17% for the flowers. Also, it should be noted that the CBD concentration in flowers is consistently higher at densities of 30 kg/ha across all varieties that were tested.
Frank Giese, an advisor to GHG, will consult on the 2018 cultivation to assist in increasing both plant yield and cannabinoid production. Through his experience, he has bridged the fundamentals of scientific research and hemp/cannabis breeding, as well as the use and development of modern cultivation and processing techniques in his breeding work. He has become proficient in breeding cannabinoid rich varieties of hemp, as well as being very experienced in auto flower breeding.
Donald Steinberg, CEO of MCOA, stated, “We are excited to complete the first phase of industrial hemp trials in Canada, and we look forward to continue expanding operations in Canada. Our joint venture with GHG allows MCOA the opportunity to expand the Company’s operations on an international level. Both Companies are excited about the endless possibilities for hemp derived CBD product this year in Canada.”
About Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
MCOA is a corporation which participates in: (1) product research and development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name “hempSMART™”, that targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated for medicinal and recreations use; and, (4) the expansion of its business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment mature and develop.
About Global Hemp Group Inc.
Global Hemp Group ("GHG"
is a publicly traded company founded in 2012, headquartered in British Columbia, Canada with base operations in Montreal and Southern California. The Company is focused on the production and processing of hemp and cannabis, and collaboration with companies that will enable GHG to develop and implement the Hemp Agro-Industrial Zone concept. Through partnerships, joint ventures and acquisitions, the Company will capture cash flow, revenues, and value, and establish a greater collective valuation. Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-12G, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.
For more information, please visit the Company’s websites at:
MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com
hempSMART.com
NetworkNewsWires/MCOA
Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
Investor Relations
1+(888)-777-4362
IR@mcoa.club
Corporate Communications Contact:
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
1
