Hemp-seed industry: Blue skies ahead

By Roger Hanson
Source: weeklytimesnow.com.au


Harvest time: Industrial hemp growers Nathan McNiece and Tim Crow, co-founders of Fair Foods, in their crop near Launceston.

AUSTRALIA’S hemp-seed industry has taken a step forward with harvesting of the first crops to be legally used for human consumption.

Hemp Association of Tasmania president Tim Schmidt, who grows a crop at Deloraine, said given the challenges of the hot summer yields were better than expected.

In November last year industrial hemp got the nod to be used as a food in Australia.

This season 460ha of industrial hemp across the state will be harvested, most of it grown between Longford and Burnie.

Mr Schmidt said his crop was one of the late ones to be harvested.

He was expecting to have a comprehensive report of the overall harvest in a couple of weeks.

“It’s great to see many new growers having a go, providing experience for growing hemp in the future.

“About $2 million has been invested in Tasmania in the last 18 months as a result of the development in the industry,” Mr Schmidt said.

“With new infrastructure established and experienced contractors on the job, we are looking forward to a smooth harvest.”

Mr Schmidt said over the next six months a key objective for the growers’ association was to develop Tasmania’s brand to help local growers compete nationally and internationally.

Industrial hemp has very low levels of the psychoactive compounds found in cannabis.

The plant is grown for fibre and the seeds are high in protein and used in many food products and in cosmetics.

Next to Mr Schmidt’s property a new hemp dehulling plant is expected to start operating in the coming weeks to process and package this season’s crops.

Near Launceston, Fair Foods co-founders Nathan McNiece and Tim Crow, who invested in the dehulling plant, were the first growers to harvest this season.

Fair Foods’ 10ha crop, planted in 2017, is carrying more than 10 tonnes of seeds.

“We’ve been working with Tasmania farmers over the past few years to produce this incredible source of sustainable nutrition, and we’re excited to finally make it available to Australian consumers,” Mr Crow said.

“The harvest is the culmination of our efforts over the past four years, and a powerful symbol of the future of sustainable food in Australia,” Mr McNiece said.