Agronomist John Muir is calling out to farmers to grow hemp
There is a call out to Australian farmers to plant hemp.
Hemp is one of the oldest crops around; it is cultivated worldwide including Australia and is currently used as a source of clothing and building products.
Hemp’s reputation has been tarnished by association with its THC laden cousin marijuana, but it contains no or very low levels of THC, the chemical associated with the psychoactive properties of marijuana.
Instead, it’s a quick growing, water efficient crop that’s growing in demand.
It is legal to grow hemp in Australia, under the same licensing laws as poppy farms in Tasmania, but illegal to consume hemp food products.
The hemp industry has been lobbying the government and Food Safety Standards Australia New Zealand (FSSANZ) for hemp seeds to be legalised, which could be the key to Australia's hemp industry taking off.
According to hemp industry manufacturers in Australia, hemp could be legalised for edible products in 2015.
John Muir is a hemp consultant based on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, he services the hemp industry in all of Australia and internationally and considers hemp to have great potential for farmers.
"Any grain grower can basically grow it. It will fit into their rotation anywhere in Australia," he said.
Mr Muir says if hemp is legalised for consumption, it could mean a huge industry could be developed within Australia.
"We haven’t been able to meet the demand in Australia, we've had to even import some [hemp].
"We are hoping to get a huge industry developed... throughout Australia to supply this new demand for superfoods", he said.
FSSANZ says hemp seeds contain protein, vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids.
Hemp is used in Europe, Canada and the United
Hemp is used in Europe, Canada and the United States in a range of foods including health bars, salad oils and the whole seed can be eaten raw or roasted and is sought after as a so-called 'superfood'.
Mr Muir says it is a valuable crop to have for farmers as it would fit in perfectly with good non-water logged soils that aren't compacted.
It provides normal healthy crop farming systems and fetches above the average price of grains that are currently grown.
"It’s about $3.00 per kilo cleaned so the farmers would be getting about $3000 per tonne".
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