John Stahl makes paper by hand at his mill in Northern California. He spoke on the Paper Panel at the first Vancouver Hemp Symposium, he has written numerous articles on hemp and he is a frequent speaker at hemp events. Since  about 1990, he has used “anonymous local donations” of hemp stalks provided by local growers. in 1993 he first applied to the DEA for a permit to cultivate hemp for his paper mill, under the terms of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. This has been a very long, expensive and fruitless effort.

In spite of complying with all procedures, laws and guidelines, his application (including four separate $875 non-refundable fees) was summarily rejected without being allowed a hearing. Full details of this adventure are published on his website at www.tree.org/a2.htm.

In 1994 he went to Ukraine in pursuit of low THC seed for his proposed hemp farm. He brought seed back (to the surprise of the International Hemp Association in Holland, where he left his seeds for safe-keeping), but he was also introduced to the work of Dr. Krotov of the Pulp and Paper Research Center in

Kiev, who had designed a process of pulping the whole stalk of hemp (and flax, kenaf and similar non-wood fibers) that was very efficient, clean and economical. Since that time, he has sponsored the engineering work which has continued to the point where it is now ready for construction. The cost to construct a 15 ton-per-day mill is about $4 million, and can be financed on about $1 million. The cost of the pulp produced will be about $360 per ton, and the market for the premium quality non-wood pulp produced will be about $700 to $1500 per ton. Several projects are under negotiation, but there is still time for financial participation by interested investors.

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