Pubdate: Fri, 29 Aug 2014
Source: Press, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2014 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Contact:  http://www.press.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/349
Author: Krysia Krawczyk
Page: 13
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?330 (Hemp - Outside U.S.)

FRUSTRATING WAIT

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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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom