Here comes hemp
From the May 2008 edition of Agriculture Today.
An industrial hemp industry will get the green light in NSW under a new licensing scheme, soon to be established.
The plan is a result of the environmentally friendly nature of the plant and a perceived demand for hemp products in the market.
Locally grown industrial hemp could be used in a diverse range of consumer products, including biofuels and oil in dog food, according to Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald, who says there is growing support from the agricultural sector for the development of such a new industry.
Farming groups and industry will be consulted during the development of the licensing scheme, Mr Macdonald said.
Irrigation trials have produced promising results in various climatic regions, reporting 10 to 12 tonnes of dry stem per hectare.
These yields are competitive with those reported in northern Europe and Tasmania.
Hemp for fibre production uses approximately five to six megalitres of water per hectare and needs to be compared to other summer growing broadacre crops.
"Industrial hemp fibre produced here in NSW could pave the way for the establishment of a new viable industry that creates and sells textiles, cloth and building products," Mr Macdonald said.
"It could be used as an additive to wool in soft textured durable yarns, for insulation, as an alternative to fibreglass, in paper products and textiles and for load bearing masonry for building.
According to NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Chris Cole, there is still some way to go in development of pathways to markets.
"Investment is required from interested parties on the domestic market side of the equation," Mr Cole, the Department’s manager of industry development for broadacre cropping, said.
"However I am confident growers have the skills and ability to grow the crop.
"Transport to processing facilities may be another issue in the short term."
The environmental potential of industrial hemp is also interesting.
"Hemp requires less chemical application than some other conventional broadacre crops," Mr Cole said.
The crop forms a canopy that prevents weeds establishing and insects appear not to be attracted to it.
All parts of the plant can be used and its insulation properties in building can reduce the need for heating and cooling, make it additionally attractive as an environmentally friendly crop.
Industrial hemp is a cannabis plant species.
"However, it has low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content compared to other forms of cannabis plants and cannot be used as a drug," Mr Cole said.
"New laws will make it legal to cultivate industrial hemp with a licence, including for trial purposes."
Mr Macdonald said an industrial hemp industry was potentially lucrative.
Large markets exist overseas for industrial hemp and in Australia some niche markets are already established for products which could use hemp as a component.
Legislative changes will enable a licensing scheme, to be administered by the Minister and to operate within a strict legal framework.
"The NSW Government will amend existing criminal drug laws to ensure that existing law enforcement is not compromised - and this position is supported by NSW police," he said.
"Those seeking to grow a commercial quantity of industrial hemp will no longer have to seek approval from the Department of Health, once new measures are in place."
Contact Sandra Maybury, Wagga Wagga, (02) 6938 1966 for an information package.
Also in this edition
Closer to the Holy Grail of lucerne: Lucerne seedling root growth increased by at least 15 per cent on acid soil, say researchers.
