Klaus Ferlow is probably the world’s most prominent promoter of neem. He discovered it in 1994, when he saw Dr. David Suzuki’s program on neem and decided to try the nearly unknown herb to relieve a persistent skin disorder. That success led him to create one of the Canada’s leading herbal product manufacturers, Ferlow Botanical.
By 2012, Klaus had semi-retired from his company but taken on promoting neem on a full-time basis. His first book, “Neem – Nature’s Healing Gift to Humanity,” is a well-researched book documenting neem’s many benefits. He’s published two more books this year: “Neem: The Tree that Heals Nations,” and “Neem: Your Guide to Natural Health and Beauty.”
The first new book shares his insider’s view of the evolution of neem from obscure beginnings to becoming one of the world’s most versatile herbal products and an international success for its ability to control pests without harming ecosystems. It’s a fascinating trip, from the Sudan and Australia to the Bahamas and Brandon, FL – the home of Neem Tree Farms.
I’ve been growing neem commercially for 32 years, so I didn’t think I would learn much from these new books, but I did. In The Tree that Heals Nations, there are bright nuggets of history about people I know. For instance, we’ve been buying neem products from Girish and Davender Sonam for at least 10 years, but I didn’t know Girish was an engineer who got into neem because he saw first-hand the problems Indian farmers faced from the detrimental effects of chemical farming practices. Then, like me, he discovered the medicinal benefits of this amazing tree and was the first Indian company to develop supercritical neem extracts.
I also didn’t know that neem is used extensively in aquaculture, a field pioneered by NeemCo in Scotland, where a partner company has run the government gamut to earn approval for natural products, including head lice treatments and insect repellants. With those challenges under control, NeemCo turned its focus to Scottish salmon farming, which was facing a critical issue with sea lice when existing chemical treatments lost their effectiveness. NeemCo determined that sea lice were highly susceptible to azadirachtin when it was included in their food, and it’s now working with another partner to finalize the long and challenging journey to government approval.
And I knew that Dr. Heinrich Schmutterer’s chance discovery of neem as a natural pesticide came about when the neem trees in Sudan were the only thing standing after multiple swarms of locusts. Chemicals could kill the insects but not until they’d eaten and destroyed the crops. Dr. Schmutterer spent the next 60 years of his life documenting its efficacy in a broad range of climates until his death in 2022 at the age of 96.
The second book, The Guide to Natural Health, details the myriad uses of neem as a medicinal herb in an easy-to-read format with references to the clinical research reports the uses are based upon. I learned a lot reading it too:
- How to use neem in a sauna
- In-depth descriptions of how to treat non-cystic acne, athlete’s foot and dandruff with neem products
- Neem is used to help control allergies, including both dry itchy skin and running noses.
I particularly liked the section on neem and pet care, again with references to the clinical reports that document specific directions and efficacy.
As always, none of the statements Klaus makes have been approved by the FDA or EPA, but the references to highly credible reports are very welcome.