Source: stuff.co.nz
Seed growers are fed up with continued delays limiting them from growing hemp for the 2014/15 season and developing a vibrant industry.
Hemp can be grown and extracted oil sold, but no other products can be made from its seed such as milk or protein powder.
Auckland hemp farmer Dave Jordon said he had sold his entire coming season's crop in advance "because hemp is so damn good".
With a worldwide shortage of hemp seed, Jordon was regularly contacted from people throughout the world wanting a supply of hemp seed. "It is frustrating as an industry, but just as frustrating for so many people out there who want more hemp products." Jordon said the drought resistant crop coped well with strong winds.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand is responsible for approving new food products and in 2002 concluded there were no adverse health effects from adding hemp as a food. Public submissions on allowing hemp to be grown as a food closed in 2012 and its supporters hope a decision by food safety authorities would be reached next year.
Hemp is related to the cannabis plant, but unlike cannabis it contains almost none of the chemical that produces the drug effect.
New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association manager Thomas Chin said there was a lot of interest in hemp and the industry was poised to embrace the opportunity.
The crop grew well on marginal land and had a value five times that of linseed, making it a profitable crop for farmers. The benefits were "tremendous" at the national and regional level, he said. Chin said he could not see why it would be illegal here as the United States, Europe and Canada allowed hemp in food.
Oil Seed Extractions sales and marketing manager Nigel Hosking said hemp had been grown in Canterbury for the past 10 years and was an easy crop to grow.
A dispensation was granted to allow hemp oil to be sold as a food, but there was no reason to restrict food products made from the seed to oil alone. Presently a seed in high demand and with great potential both in the domestic market and for export was fed to stock, he said. "We are all hoping that common sense prevails and a decision is made soon."
Earlier this year hemp milk and protein powder was removed from several New Zealand outlets after they were found to be inadvertently selling the unapproved food.
Ceres Organics retail manager Marianne Weber said there was a lot of confusion about which hemp extracts could be sold for human consumption. Although Ceres was set to become one of the larger wholesalers of hemp, they were "totally in the dark" about what was holding up the decision to allow hemp to be sold as a food.
"We have suppliers with labels designed and ready for production, waiting for a decision that just keeps being deferred," she said.
Weber said hemp was increasingly found as an ingredient in food imported from countries such as the US.
Piko Wholefoods' Amanda Hawes said if they were able to sell hemp products they would.
"We get heaps of people asking for it," she said.
The hemp industry hopes a decision will be made at the Australia New Zealand Ministerial Forum on food regulations in late January.
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