Successful 2013 Hemp Harvest for Canterbury

Press Release
Source: business.scoop.co.nz

For the twelfth consecutive year, a successful hemp seed harvest has been completed in the heart of New Zealands agricultural centre, the Canterbury plains.

MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: 4th June 2013

Successful 2013 Hemp Harvest for Canterbury

For the twelfth consecutive year, a successful hemp seed harvest has been completed in the heart of New Zealand’s agricultural centre, the Canterbury plains.

In 2001, Oil Seed Extractions (OSE) and Midlands Seed Limited (Midlands) formed a partnership in the production of high quality seed oils and combined forces to work through the legislation surrounding the commercial production of hemp seed.

These two Ashburton businesses have been involved with hemp trials since the first hemp growing licences were issued in September 2001, and despite the high costs to maintain these licences and the related compliance, they continue to grow successful commercial quantities of Hemp seed in New Zealand.

Crops are grown under license to the Ministry of Health, and Midlands ensures all licensing requirements are met. The resultant seed harvested for oil extraction is free of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and also chemical residue free, and the crop itself requires very little irrigation.

Andrew Davidson, Managing Director of OSE, described the 2013 crop as “another excellent harvest in an ideal growing season, with average crop yields above historical averages, and likely to exceed our best per hectare yields following seed cleaning.”

The production process established by Midlands and OSE, from the growing of the seed through to the production of an end product continues to stand as an excellent model for the long term success of commercial hemp production in this country.

With the exception of a small quantity of stock seed production for future planting, this season’s hemp seed crop has been harvested for the seed oil, which will be extracted by Cold Pressing.

This method ensures there is no exposure to light, temperatures remain below 40°C, and oil is made in an oxygen-free environment. These three factors ensure prolonged freshness, without any loss of the oil’s nutritional value.

The majority of the Extra Virgin, Cold Pressed Hemp seed oil produced from OSE’s well established Cold Pressing operation, will be bottled, packaged and sold under the new hemisphere™ hemp seed oil brand.

Sommer Wagstaff, new hemisphere™ Brand Manager said “this time of year is always exciting to see the outcome of the growing season. Once again in 2013, high quality hemp seed oil has been produced to be sold under our brand.”

It’s obviously hugely important to all of our customers and staff to have full traceability of our seed production, Cold Pressing, and bottling all right here in New Zealand,” she says.

This unique oil is a sustainable alternative to fish oil, and is produced for its health-giving properties. It contains more than 80 percent polyunsaturated Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs); a blend of Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) and Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega 3) in a 3:1 ratio which is perfect for our body’s requirements. It also contains up to 2.5% Stearidonic Acid (SDA) & up to 5% Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) which has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, and is effective in reducing symptoms of PMT, eczema, and acne. It is also Cholesterol and Gluten Free.

EFAs are important for the proper functioning of the immune system, brain health, wound healing and for insulating nerves. They are found in every cell in the body but we cannot make them ourselves. They need to be present in our diet, and the modern day diet of convenience and processed foods, often leaves us lacking the EFA’s we need.

Even more importantly, new hemisphere™ Hemp Seed Oil tastes so good it can easily be taken straight off the spoon or incorporated into the diet as an ingredient in smoothies, marinades, dips and pesto’s.

Hemp seed oil, like Flax Seed oil, is fragile. The EFAs it contains are easily damaged, if exposed to light, air or heat – so is best eaten raw, straight from the bottle or in a convenient soft gel capsule.

To find out more about the amazing nutritional properties of new hemisphere™ Hemp Seed Oil including Omega 3, 6, and GLA, and how it can easily be incorporated into your diet, simply visit the recipes page on our website www.nzhempoil.co.nz

Available from all good Health Food Stores, Specialty Food Stores and Pharmacies Nationwide. For a stockist near you please visit the new hemisphere™ website www.nzhempoil.co.nz or call our customer hotline 0800 HEMPOIL (436 764)