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Farmers in NSW Going to Pot
Pubdate: Wed, 9 Apr 2008
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2008 The Sydney Morning Herald
Contact: http://www.smh.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441
Author: Ben Cubby, Environment Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/industrial+hemp
FARMERS IN NSW GOING TO POT
THE NSW Government has turned over a new leaf after decades of
opposing commercial cannabis, revealing plans for a new scheme to grow
the plant on an industrial scale.
It will introduce legislation in weeks to allow farms to grow hemp,
the fibres and oil of which can be used in food and clothes, biofuels
and skin-care products.
The state's first legal hemp crop has been approved by police and will
contain only tiny amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive
compound that some people smoke for recreation. It will be planted
later this year, with farmers no longer needing their licences to be
approved by the NSW Health Department.
"Industrial hemp fibre produced here in NSW could pave the way for the
establishment of a new viable industry that creates and sells
textiles, cloth and building products made from locally grown
industrial hemp," said the Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald,
who will oversee the licences for the new crop.
"There is growing support from the agricultural sector for the
development of such a new industry. This is a direct result of the
environmentally friendly nature of industrial hemp and a perceived
interest for hemp products in the market."
Trials in the state's west had yielded 10 to 12 tonnes of dry stem per
hectare, which was similar to yields reported from crops in other
states and in Europe, Mr Macdonald said.
Some farming groups cautiously welcomed the move, although the
National Farmers Federation said it was not aware of large numbers of
farmers clamouring to grow hemp.
"If it meets all the safety and health requirements, then farmers
should have the option of growing whatever crops that best fits their
business," Ben Fargher, the federation's chief executive officer,
said. "There are farmers who look for innovative specialist crops, and
this may fit that category."
By contrast, industrial hemp campaigners were on a
high.
Klara Marosszeky, who holds a licence to grow industrial hemp under a
trial program, said it was "fantastic" news.
"I've seen really big interest from all sorts of farmers in growing
industrial hemp," she said. "The market couldn't be very competitive
when you couldn't grow in NSW, but if that changes then you will see a
new industry occur."
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