CardioComm Solutions Launches New GEM(TM) Mobile Universal ECG App Expanding ECG Reporting Services Across Global Markets Read More
Announced the release of a new version of the Company’s recently cleared US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA“) GEMS™ Mobile ECG app.
The new version is branded as the GEMS™ Universal ECG (“GEMS™ Universal“) and is capable of connecting with multiple manufacturer’s consumer and prescription ECG devices sold globally.
CardioComm Solutions Leverages the GEMS(TM) Mobile ECG App to Bring a
Third FDA Cleared HeartCheck(TM) Branded ECG Device to the US Consumer
Markets Read More
Confirms the start of an OEM co-marketing agreement for the
HeartCheck™ Palm handheld ECG device, the Company’s newest GEMS™ Mobile
ECG app (“GEMSTM Mobile“) enabled ECG device.
HeartCheck™ Palm will be the Company’s third US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA“) cleared HeartCheck™ branded handheld ECG device for over-the-counter (“OTC”) sales.
WATCH OUR RECENT INTERVIEW
FULL DISCLOSURE: CardioComm Solutions Inc. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:19 PM on Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
SPONSOR: New Age Metals Inc. The company’s new Lithium Division has already made significant acquisitions in Canada and the USA. The company also owns one of North America’s largest primary platinum group metals deposit in Sudbury, Canada. Updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate 2,867,000 PdEq Measured and Indicated Ounces, with an additional 1,059,000 PdEq Ounces in the Inferred. Learn More.
NAM: TSX-V
———————
Who Are Tesla’s Lithium Suppliers?
Lithium stocks have been volatile in recent years, though the
electric vehicle revolution means that demand for the metal should be
strong for many years.
Appetite for lithium is becoming increasingly ravenous as the electric-vehicle (EV) pioneer ramps up production of the Model 3, its first mass-market vehicle
Lithium is a silvery-white metal used to make the lithium-ion batteries that power EVs and other products, including the energy-storage products that Tesla and others produce.
 Beth McKenna (TMFMcKenna) Mar 26, 2019 at 9:30AM
Tesla‘s (NASDAQ:TSLA)
appetite for lithium is becoming increasingly ravenous as the
electric-vehicle (EV) pioneer ramps up production of the Model 3, its
first mass-market vehicle. Lithium is a silvery-white metal used to make
the lithium-ion batteries that power EVs and other products, including
the energy-storage products that Tesla and others produce.
Tesla and other companies that need lithium in their manufacturing
processes have been eagerly inking longer-term supply agreements with
producers to ensure they’ll have adequate quantities. That’s because
lithium supply has been having a hard time keeping up with demand,
thanks largely to the rising popularity of EVs.
This dynamic resulted in lithium prices soaring in 2016 and 2017, along with the stock prices of producers, such as diversified chemical giants Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) and SQM (NYSE:SQM). Lithium prices started falling off their peaks last year, which along with concerns about China’s slowing growth and too much new production capacity coming online, contributed to stock prices plummeting. Supply, however, remains relatively tight.
So who are Tesla’s lithium suppliers? And do any of them look like potentially good investments?
Tesla Model 3. Image source: Tesla.
Tesla’s lithium suppliers
According to company press releases and/or published reports, the
following companies have or have had some type of agreement in place to
supply Tesla with lithium hydroxide. (This list may not be
all-inclusive.)
Company
Headquarters
Tesla Agreement Date
Ganfeng Lithium
China
Sept. 2018
Kidman Resources
Australia
May 2018
Pure Energy Minerals
Canada
Sept. 2015
Joint venture partners Cadence Minerals and Bacanora Minerals
U.K. and Canada, respectively
Aug. 2015
Ganfeng is China’s largest producer of lithium and the world’s
second- or third-largest producer (depending on source) behind the
United States’ Albemarle, and perhaps also behind Chile’s SQM. In
September, Ganfeng revealed that it has an agreement with Tesla to
supply the EV maker with 20% of its annual lithium hydroxide production
through 2020, which could be extended by three years. Shares of Ganfeng
are not listed on a major U.S. stock exchange, nor do they trade over
the counter (OTC) in the U.S. Thus most U.S. investors looking for
exposure to the lithium realm should explore other options.
Kidman Resources has a 50/50 joint venture with SQM to develop its
Mt. Holland lithium project in the Earl Grey hard-rock lithium deposit
in Western Australia. In May 2018, Kidman entered into an offtake
agreement with Tesla “for an initial term of three years on a
fixed-price take-or-pay basis from the delivery of first product,”
according to Kidman’s press release, adding that the agreement “contains
two 3-year term options.” The company said that the agreement “equates
to less than 25% of Kidman’s portion of initial nameplate production for
the first three years from the refinery.” Kidman’s shares are listed on
the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and also trade over the
counter in the U.S, but the OTC shares are extremely thinly traded,
which means volatility could be considerable. For this reason, along
with the fact that Kidman is a developmental stage company that’s not
profitable, the stock is not a good fit for most U.S. investors.
Pure Energy Minerals is developing the Clayton Valley South Lithium Brine project in Nevada, which is located adjacent to the only producing lithium mine in the U.S., Albemarle’s
Silver Peak lithium brine operation. The project is roughly 200 miles
away from Tesla’s giant lithium-ion battery cell factory, the
Gigafactory 1. Indeed, when Tesla chose Nevada for the location of its
first Gigafactory, industry watchers speculated that the Silver State’s
plentiful lithium supply was one main reason. According to Pure Energy’s
Sept. 2015 press release, “provided that Pure Energy meets certain
terms and conditions … the Agreement establishes a commitment for an
annual purchase volume of product over a period of 5 years by Tesla
and/or its authorized purchasers.”
Cadence Minerals (which was named Rare Earth Minerals until March
2017) and Bacanora Minerals are JV partners in the Sonora Lithium
Project in Northern Mexico. In Aug. 2015, they signed a conditional long-term lithium hydroxide supply agreement with Tesla, according to published reports. Neither
company’s stock is listed on a major U.S. stock exchange, nor is either
company profitable on an operating basis. For these reasons, their
stocks are not good choices for most U.S. investors.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:06 PM on Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
Announced that the Peeks App has been approved by Apple and is once again available for download in the Apple Store.
In addition to returning to the Apple Store, the Company is also pleased to announce that it has successfully negotiated with Apple the use of 3rd party payment processing services for purchases on the Peeks Platform
TORONTO, March 26, 2019 — Peeks Social Ltd. (TSXV:PEEK) (OTCQB:PKSLF) (“Peeks Social†or “the Companyâ€) is pleased to announce that the Peeks App has been approved by Apple and is once again available for download in the Apple Store. In addition to returning to the Apple Store, the Company is also pleased to announce that it has successfully negotiated with Apple the use of 3rd party payment processing services for purchases on the Peeks Platform. Previously Peeks was obligated to use Apple’s in-app purchases at a cost of 30% per transaction and funds settlement period of 45 days. The high cost of in-app payments and the long settlement periods had resulted in a poor quality of service to users and a significant number of user complaints. Similarly, the Company has also migrated approximately 80% of its Android traffic from Google in-app payments to 3rd party payment processing services. Google’s fees and settlement periods for in-app payments are similar to Apple; as such the benefits to the Company by virtue of moving to 3rd party payment processing services will be comparable.
The new payment processing services cost the Company 2.8% to 10% as
opposed to 30%. Settlement periods are typically 2 business days or
less. This provides the Company the ability to pay broadcasters more
quickly and to provide users discounts on the purchase of content. Long
payout cycles have been the main cause of broadcaster complaints and the
main hindrance to rapid growth of the business. The faster settlement
periods are allowing the Company to get caught up on backlogged
broadcaster payouts and facilitating faster payouts to broadcasters.
It is management’s expectation that the user adoption curve as a
result of migrating to 3rd party payment processing services, will
result in a temporary decline in transaction volume on the Peeks
Platform, followed by a subsequent increase in transaction volume. It is
also management’s expectation that faster payouts to broadcasters and
lower fees to viewers will result in significantly greater broadcaster
retention, and subsequently; to a significant increase in overall
spending on the Peeks Platform. The Company’s operating margin will also
significantly increase as a result of lower payment processing fees.
Annual General and Special Meeting
The Company will be holding its Annual General and Special Meeting on
May 31, 2019. Details of location and time will be released once the
company finalizes arrangements.
David Vinokurov Director Investor Relations [email protected] 416-716-9281
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
SPONSOR: North Bud Farms Inc. (NBUD:CSE) Sustainable low cost, high
quality cannabinoid production and procurement focusing on both
bio-pharmaceutical development and Cannabinoid Infused Products. Click Here For More Information
NBUD: CSE
—————
Legal marijuana shortages persist in Canada
Legal cannabis shortages were still a problem in Canada in early 2019, several months after the country began recreational sales to adults, says a report this morning by broker Cowen
Survey of five provinces’ online weed availability in January shows that nearly half of all items remained out-of-stock on marijuana e-commerce sites
From Bill Alpert: Legal cannabis shortages were still a problem in Canada in early 2019, several months after the country began recreational sales to adults, says a report this morning by broker Cowen. A survey of five provinces’ online weed availability in January shows that nearly half of all items remained out-of-stock on marijuana e-commerce sites. But in the relatively-populous Ontario, supplies were better, with 61% of listed products actually in-stock. In New Brunswick and Newfoundland & Labrador, however, out-of-stock rates increased.
“While it is difficult to assess how much of the change is demand
versus supply driven,†wrote analyst Vivien Azer, in the note, “our view
is that demand remains strong with an improving supply chain.†Cowen
surveyed online shops in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, New
Brunswick and Newfoundland & Labrador.
Among Canada’s large producers, Canopy Growth (ticker: CGC) had the largest share of in-stock product on e-commerce shelves, with a 21% share in Ontario, while Aurora Cannabis (ACB) had 12% of that province’s online market. Tilray(TLRY) and Cronos Group (CRON) each had 4%.
After a month when Canada’s pot stocks mostly wandered sideways,
Canopy is flat this morning, at $44.44, while Aurora is up 9% to $9.37.
Tilray is up 3%, to $69, while Cronos has jumped 6.3% to $20.21, a day
before it reports December-quarter results.
Dry flower marijuana made up about three-fourths of all products at
Canada’s online shops, noted Cowen, with the remaining offerings
consisting of capsules, oils, and pre-roll smokes.
“We continue to believe that the category will look very different in
late 2019,†the analyst wrote, “when vapor, beverages, edibles, and
other form factors become available.â€
Prices for dry flower held firm in January, according to Cowen, at
$10.22 Canadian dollars per gram (or US$7.56). Pre-roll product commands
a price premium, for its convenience, but Canadian consumers had cause
to celebrate, as pre-roll’s average price fell 4% from December, to
C$12.88 a gram.
Tags: CSE, Hemp, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in All Recent Posts, North Bud Farms Inc | Comments Off on North Bud Farms Inc. $NBUD.ca – Legal #marijuana shortages persist in Canada $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $TRST.ca $OGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:11 AM on Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
Announced that 495 Communications LLC., a GLN digital property, has increased its portfolio of Connected Television Roku channels by 40% since the acquisition in December 2018
Currently, more than 164 million U.S. internet users access video content via CTV, with this number predicted to grow up to 204.1 million viewers in 2022
Vancouver, British Columbia–(March 26, 2019) – Good Life Networks Inc. (TSXV: GOOD) (FSE: 4G5) (“GLN“, or the “Company“), a Vancouver-based programmatic advertising technology company is excited to announce that 495 Communications LLC. (“495“), a GLN digital property, has increased its portfolio of Connected Television (“CTV“) Roku channels by 40% since the acquisition in December 2018.
Currently, more than 164 million U.S. internet users access video
content via CTV, with this number predicted to grow up to 204.1 million
viewers in 2022(1). GLN anticipated the growth of CTV (and associated
decline of traditional cable TV) and transitioned into the space through
the acquisition of 495 and ImpressionX. Since the acquisition in
December 2018, 495 has significantly grown its platform of Roku channels
capitalizing on the increase of consumers using CTV. The increase in
channels will provide more monetization opportunities for 495, and
potentially add to GLN’s combined annual revenue. 495’s platform is now
being powered by GLN’s proprietary technology, with channels across a
variety of subjects including: sports, cooking, comedy, music and
movies.
“Disney just acquired FOX to create the streaming service, Disney+(2), Apple just announced its new streaming service, Apple+(3), and The Trade Desk’s CTV revenue increase of over 525% last year(4), all positive indicators for significant growth of the CTV sector,” stated Jesse Dylan, CEO of GLN.
“495 is ideally positioned to see additional ad revenue opportunities
from their continued CTV channel development. I’m impressed with the
teams progress so far this year and look forward to continued future
growth!”
Both 495 and ImpressionX are leading CTV advertising technology
companies. 495 focuses on content marketing, through building and
developing CTV and Over the Top (“OTT“) channels for
the sake of monetization and content distribution. CTV refers to any
smart TV that can be connected to the internet and can stream OTT
content beyond what is available from a traditional cable provider. OTT
refers to any device (Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Apple TV) that can be
connected to a TV to allow for the delivery of video from the internet.
Roku pioneered streaming for the TV(5) and plans to be a billion-dollar
company in 2019. Roku also reported 40 percent year-over-year active
user growth, with 27.1 million active users by year-end, and a 69
percent year-over-year increase in streaming hours, which reached 7.3
billion(6).
The GLN Story
GLN’s patent pending technology is the engine that sits between
advertisers and publishers. A highlight of GLN’s tech is that it does
not collect PII (Personal Identifiable Information). Built for cross
device video advertising: Mobile, In-App, Desktop and CTV (Connected
Television) the GLN Programmatic Video Advertising Platform has among
the lowest fraud rates of similar vendors in the industry. Advertisers
make more money by reaching their target audience more effectively. GLN
makes money by retaining a percentage of the advertiser’s fee.
GLN is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with offices in Newport
Beach and Santa Monica California, New York and UK and trades on the
TSXV under the stock symbol “GOOD” and The Frankfurt Stock Exchange
under the stock symbol 4G5. For further information on the Company,
visit www.glninc.ca
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
Forward Looking Statements:
Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future
performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs regarding future
events of management of GLN. This information and these statements,
referred to herein as “forwardâ€looking statements”, are not historical
facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without
limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates
and forecasts and statements as to management’s expectations and
intentions with respect to the performance of 495. These statements
generally can be identified by use of forward-looking words such as
“may”, “will”, “expect”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “intends”, “believe”
or “continue” or the negative thereof or similar variations.
These forwardâ€looking statements involve numerous risks and
uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results
suggested in any forward-looking statements. Important factors that may
cause actual results to vary include without limitation, risks relating
to the continued growth of CTV opportunities, the performance of digital
channels created by 495 or the successful completion and monetization
of additional channels.
In making the forwardâ€looking statements in this news release,
the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without
limitation that 495 will generate the anticipated revenue and expand
GLN’s global reach per management’s expectations. GLN does not assume
any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update
the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the
forward looking-statements, unless and until required by applicable
securities laws. Additional information identifying risks and
uncertainties is contained in GLN’s filings with the Canadian securities
regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:12 AM on Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
Announced that the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary hempSMART™ has entered into a strategic marketing agreement with MassRoots, Inc. (OTCQB: MSRT) to promote its hemp CBD formulated product line.
Under the terms of the agreement, MassRoots agreed to participate as an associate in the Company’s associate marketing platform, to help promote and sell hempSMART™ products on www.massroots.com, as well as MassRoots’ app and other social media outlets.
Escondido, California–(March 26, 2019) – MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (OTCQB: MCOA) (“MCOA” or the “Company“), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce that the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary hempSMART™ has entered into a strategic marketing agreement with MassRoots, Inc. (OTCQB: MSRT) to promote its hemp CBD formulated product line.
Under the terms of the agreement, MassRoots agreed to participate as
an associate in the Company’s associate marketing platform, to help
promote and sell hempSMART™ products on www.massroots.com, as well as MassRoots’ app and other social media outlets.
“We’re excited to begin educating MassRoots’ community of over a
million cannabis consumers about hempSMART’s™ innovative line of CBD
products,” stated MassRoots’ Chief Executive Officer Isaac Dietrich. “We
look forward to driving our audience to a company that focuses on
providing consumers with the highest-quality of ingredients and
products, which is ultimately why we’re partnering with MCOA.”
CEO of MCOA, Donald Steinberg, stated, “We are very proud to have the
hempSMART™ CBD product line accepted by MassRoots as part of their
marketing campaign. We are anticipating increased visibility for our
product line by utilizing such a widely recognized media platform
involved in the cannabis industry.”
About MassRoots
MassRoots, Inc. is a leading technology platform for the regulated
cannabis industry. Powered by more than one million registered users,
the Company’s mobile apps empower consumers to make educated cannabis
purchasing decisions through community-driven reviews. Its rewards
program, WeedPassTM, enables consumers to earn tickets to movies,
sporting events, and festivals by shopping at participating
dispensaries. MassRoots has been covered by CNN, CNBC, Fox Business,
Fortune, Forbes, and Reuters. For more information, please visit www.MassRoots.com/Investors and review MassRoots’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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 recreational 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 Our hempSMART Products Containing CBD The
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized CBD
as a safe and effective drug for any indication. Our products containing
CBD derived from industrial hemp are not marketed or sold based upon
claims that their use is safe and effective treatment for any medical
condition as drugs or dietary supplements subject to the FDA’s
jurisdiction.
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:
Tags: CBD, Hemp, hempSMART, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in All Recent Posts, Marijuana Company of America | Comments Off on Marijuana Company of America $MCOA Enters Strategic Partnership with Massroots to Promote the hempSMART CBD Product Line $AERO $CBDS $CGRW $APH.ca $GBLX $ACG $ACB $WEED.ca $HIP.ca $MSRT
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Monday, March 25th, 2019
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
SIGNED A COOPERATION AGREEMENT FOR THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES MARKETS
Will enable them to provide real-time monitoring of patients while in transit on the ground or in the air.
CHUSJ is one of the top 10 mother-child hospitals in the World, with over 3500 births a year.
Has over 1500 nurses, over 500 Doctors and over 200 researchers on staff.
COMPLETED SALE OF FIVE STAR-A.D.S SYSTEMS TO ALMASRIA UNIVERSAL AIRLINES
Announced that AlMasria Universal Airlines of Egypt has decided to
proceed with the installation and activation of the STAR-A.D.S.® System
across all five (5) of its current aircraft fleet, which includes A-320,
A-321, A330 and B737 aircraft.
BOMBARDER JOINT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Joint research and development program with Bombardier and other
industrials and universities of Canada is progressing very positively.
The STAR-A.D.S. ® system which is at the heart of the program, after
having been validated and extensively used by the aircraft
manufacturer, has now been transferred to another flight test vehicle to
complete the flight testing and the data collection.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES APPLICATIONS
Star’s Land System Aided Medical Monitoring system for ground
ambulance applications has undergone a series of demonstrations by a
care organization in North America.
Its airborne parent system, the In-Flight System Aided Medical
Monitoring system (STAR-ISAMM™â€), has now been demonstrated to several
stakeholders of the commercial and civil air ambulance market.
CHECK OUT OUR RECENT INTERVIEW
FULL DISCLOSURE: Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:25 PM on Monday, March 25th, 2019
SPONSOR: North Bud Farms Inc. (NBUD:CSE) Sustainable low cost, high quality cannabinoid production and procurement focusing on both bio-pharmaceutical development and Cannabinoid Infused Products. Click Here For More Information
NBUD: CSE
—————
CBD is booming. But US farmers struggle to keep up with demand for industrial hemp
Retail sales of cannabis-compound CBD are expected to reach $16 billion by 2025, according to Cowen.
Growing industrial hemp is incredibly expensive and inefficient. Lab tests aren’t always accurate.
Retailers are receiving a flood of pitches as people try to take advantage of the so-called green rush.
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt | AFP | Getty Images
Oils containing CBD (Cannabidiol) are seen in a shop in Paris on June 14, 2018.
It’s Hollywood’s new favorite beauty product. It’s the superfood du
jour. Demand for CBD is so strong that companies are scrambling to
infuse their products with it, but the CBD they’re finding isn’t all
that great.
Congress legalized industrial hemp in December. With it, they also
legalized hemp-derived CBD, short for cannabidiol, a cannabis compound
that supposedly delivers the calming effects of marijuana without the
high from THC.
Last year, retail sales of CBD consumer products in the U.S. were
estimated at between $600 million and $2 billion, according to
investment research firm Cowen. The bank conservatively forecasts sales
to reach $16 billion by 2025, with health and wellness products leading
the way and food, beverage, beauty and vapor to also play a role.
From seed to CBD
The current supply chain — from plants, to extraction, to labs — is
riddled with issues. And the nascent industry is trying to work through
the kinks at the same time demand is ramping up, leaving producers
frustrated and consumers stuck trying to sift good products from bad
ones.
“There are huge challenges to producing the industrial hemp required
for meeting the demand,” said George Weiblen, a professor at the
University of Minnesota who has been studying cannabis since 2002. “It’s
not as simple as growing tomatoes. It’s just not. … The possibility
of failure to produce quality cannabis extracts is huge.”
Decades of modern farming techniques have tamed staple crops like
corn and wheat. Farmers know what to expect when they plant these crops
and can follow a pretty straightforward set of guidelines when they grow
them. With hemp for CBD, not so much.
More religion than science
People have been growing hemp illegally for years. Farmers have kept
their operations quiet and developed their own techniques that are all a
little different, said Christian Cypher, a senior vice president at Pyxus International who is leading the agriculture company’s cannabis work.
“Growing hemp has been more religion than science,” he said.
Most hemp farmers are growing the plant like a tomato, a process
that’s expensive and intensive, said David Williams, an agronomist at
the University of Kentucky who studies hemp. This model works for
marijuana because you want the flower to look and smell nice. For hemp
that will be used to extract CBD, this system is incredibly expensive
and unnecessary since you only care about what’s inside the flower,
Williams said.
“If the molecule is of interest and becomes broadly distributed, it
will need to be far more efficient than what we have today,” he said.
Incredibly expensive
Industrial hemp produces such small amounts of CBD that growing it
and harvesting it to extract the molecule is incredibly expensive. One
Canadian certified industrial hemp strain produced an average of 0.6
percent CBD and 0.03 percent THC, according to a study Weiblen
conducted.
Arcadia Biosciences,
a company that has bred wheat to be more fibrous, recently entered the
cannabis space with the aim of growing hemp that produces more CBD and
no or reliably low THC. Federal law says CBD is legal so long as it
contains less than 0.3 percent THC.
“We think that’s a significant opportunity,” said Matt Plavan, chief
financial officer of Arcadia and president of the new cannabis-focused
unit, Arcadia Specialty Genomics.
A ‘green rush’
Farmers won’t find out how much THC their plants produce until
they’re harvested, dried and the CBD is extracted. During this process,
the CBD becomes concentrated and the THC gets dragged along with it,
Weiblen said, possibly to the point where the amount of THC exceeds the
legal limit.
With CBD coming into vogue, some are latching onto the trend and cutting corners along the way.
Numerous studies, including from federal regulators, have found a
slew of products don’t contain the amount of CBD they say they do.
There aren’t any federal laws requiring companies to test CBD,
whether it goes into beauty or food products. Some farmers or
manufacturers send their extracts in anyway, and they’re learning that
lab tests are working through a similar learning curve as the rest of
the supply chain.
Vastly different results
Chris Padulo, a farmer in Vermont who started growing hemp last year,
sent samples to four different labs and got “vastly different results”
from each. One lab said the plant he sent in contained 8 percent CBD.
Another one said it contained 16 percent. The two others said it landed
somewhere in the middle.
“I figured science is science,” he said. “There are no consistencies.”
Retailers say they’re constantly receiving pitches from people asking
to put their products on shelves. Chris Burton, retail partner manager
at online CBD store HelloMD, grills brands on where their hemp is grown,
how the CBD is extracted, where their lab tests are and more.
Wild West
“Some say their CBD is the best possible and when you ask how they know they can’t answer questions,” Burton said.
Consumers shopping for CBD will find a slew of terms: isolate, full
spectrum, water soluble and more, with each claiming to be better than
the other. Brands are trying to differentiate themselves and prove their
products are legit, especially as they introduce people to an entirely
new category.
Burton says this “green rush” worries him that people seeing dollar
signs are moving as fast they can to brings products to market.
“It’s really just the wild west out there,” he said.
Tags: CSE, Hemp, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in All Recent Posts, North Bud Farms Inc | Comments Off on North Bud Farms Inc. $NBUD.ca – CBD is booming. But US farmers struggle to keep up with demand for industrial hemp $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $TRST.ca $OGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:07 AM on Monday, March 25th, 2019
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$50M esports arena coming to Philadelphia
The Fusion Arena, to open in 2021, will be home to the Philadelphia Fusion team that competes in the Overwatch League.
Photo: comcast spectacor
Comcast Spectacor and The Cordish Cos. are building a $50 million, 3,500-seat esports arena in Philadelphia
The Fusion Arena will be next to Wells Fargo Center, Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park and the mixed-use Xfinity Live development
“We’re thrilled to introduce a venue like no other as we move forward with the next phase of development within the Philadelphia Sports Complex,†said Dave Scott, Comcast Spectacor’s chairman and CEO.
Xfinity Live is also a joint venture between Comcast Spectacor and
Cordish, which specializes in real estate developments around stadiums
and arenas.
Architecture firm Populous designed the 60,000-square-foot venue,
which will be home to the Philadelphia Fusion, an esports team owned by
Comcast Spectacor that competes in the Overwatch League. The league
wants its teams to play in their home markets next year. The Fusion are
looking at playing at other venues in Philadelphia while the new esports
venue is being built.
Construction will start this summer on a site currently used as a
parking lot and the venue is scheduled to open in 2021. The Fusion
facility will have a 10,000-square-foot esports training facility as
well as two balcony bars, a broadcast studio and premium boxes and
suites.
The venue will be rigged to also host small concerts, comedy shows
and corporate events, said Joe Marsh, chief business officer for Comcast
Spectacor’s gaming division and the Fusion.
Populous also designed the $10 million Esports Stadium Arlington, a
100,000-square-foot gaming space built at the Arlington Convention
Center hear Dallas.
“We’ve reached a place now where there is a need for purpose-built
esports venues,†said Brian Mirakian, a senior principal with Populous.
“This project represents the prototype of the future.â€
Cordish
Principal Blake Cordish expects to see more esports projects like the
one in Philadelphia. “This flagship esports venue will perfectly
complement the surrounding anchors in the Philadelphia Sports Complex,â€
Cordish said. “The Cordish Cos. is extremely bullish about the future of
esports, especially when integrated into mixed-use, sports-anchored
developments.â€
