Industrial hemp could soon be grown as a crop for food in Tasmania. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images
THE State Government aims to grow industrial hemp as a broadacre crop for use in fibre and foods, Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff has told Budget Estimates.
Mr Rockliff said industrial hemp had tripartisan support and the next step was growing it for food.
Industrial hemp has a low reading of THC and has been grown in Tasmania since 1991. It is used to make fibre, textiles, paper and building materials, but is still not allowed to be sold as a food.
Hemp seeds and oil can be used in health bars, salad oils, non-soy tofu, non-dairy cheeses and as an additive to baked goods as well as being used as whole seeds, raw or roasted.
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief Jan Davis said the rules and regulations at a state level needed to be urgently reviewed.
“They are stricter than growing poppies,” Ms Davis said. “It should be allowed to grow just like any other crop.”
The government’s decision to trial medicinal cannabis crops has again been labelled a “backflip”.
“Clearly, the Hodgman regime dashed off and made an ideological, uninformed and kneejerk decision when they rejected the prospect of medicinal cannabis trials,” Greens leader Kim Booth said.
Mr Rockliff said the Government would take a measured and cautious approach to the proposed medicinal cannabis trials.
He said he had received communication from poppy growers about their concerns and the potential impacts.
Opposition Primary Industries spokesman David Llewellyn claimed cuts to the biosecurity budget would undermine Tasmania’s brand and threaten the State’s pest and disease-free status.
“Attempts by Mr Rockliff to fudge the figures in Estimates can’t disguise the fact that funding appropriation for biosecurity in the budget clearly shows a cut of more than $1 million over the forward estimates,” Mr Llewellyn said.
Mr Rockliff said the Government was multiskilling quarantine officers and boosting frontline biosecurity.
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