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July 2022

Welcome to our very first Australian Hemp Council newsletter

Over the last two years the AHC has been busy developing a national representative framework for Australian hemp farmers and processors. We have already achieved some major milestones for the industry and have great plans for the future.

The AHC is a 7 member organisation representing hemp associations from each state and the NT. These associations are all run by hard-working volunteers with a common vision for the development of the Australian hemp industry. Our aim is to create a vibrant mainstream Australian agricultural industry, providing viable, sustainable and lucrative options for Australian farmers. You can help us and be part of this development by joining the hemp association in your state.

Currently I’m travelling up the eastern seaboard from Tasmania to Darwin, visiting people and businesses involved in hemp production and innovation. Over the coming months we will document for your interest the many activities being undertaken throughout eastern Australia by trailblazing hemp innovators and producers.

The council will highlight many industry activities of which most throughout the industry are unaware, and would encourage anyone who knows of hemp industry activities to let us know so we can share the successes and raise the profile of this amazing industry and the people involved. We have discovered many fantastic stories over the last few weeks which we will share with you.

I would like to thank Kieren Anderson for making a great contribution to the AHC as our communications manager and compiling this newsletter, also Bernard Thomson our EO who continues to assist our organisation so ably.

Finally, it is only with your support are we able to bring the hemp industry into mainstream agriculture. So if you are not yet a member, please join your respective state organisation, listed on the AHC website, to give us the organisational support needed to help build the Australian hemp industry.

Tim Schmidt – AHC President

News from around the country

The Queensland Hemp Association (QHA) is planning to meet with their Minister of Agriculture, Mark Furner MP, to discuss an agenda for a reviewing and updating the legislation for industrial hemp. The aim is to align QLD legislation with all Australian states and operate under its own specific hemp legislation rather than under the Drugs Misuse Act. We will keep you informed of further developments so be sure to be on our our mailing list. Information on all current state based legislation can be found here.

Lyn Stephenson, President of Regenerative Hemp Victoria, and Tim Schmidt met with Victorian government hemp industry administrators in Melbourne in July to discuss the policy update on the current legal limit of THC in Hemp Seeds. The visit came with some great news with the legislation update going through and the change to take effect from April 2023. This will bring the legal limit for THC in seed in line with the other states in Australia thus enabling Victorian farmers and processors to progress their hemp industry. Go to our interactive map to compare hemp legislation in each State.

In South Australia opportunities are currently being explored to set up a fibre processing facility. By utilising the stubble from a grain crop the aim is to improve returns to growers as well as supply products to an emerging fibre and hurd market.

In Barham, on the border of Victoria and NSW, Tim met  with the Western Murray Land Improvement Group. They have hosted a number of field days actively supporting the development of hemp.

We will continue to include regular reports from his travels and meetings with leaders in the hemp industry so follow our blog for updates.

If you are an aspiring hemp farmer wanting to connect with a network of other growers we recommend you join the hemp association in your state and keep up to date with local developments. You can find details of our member organisations here.

Members of the Australian Hemp Council are always willing to help and you can always leave comments, questions and feedback on the Contact page.

Thanks for joining the first newsletter and stay tuned for many more to come.

Tim Schmidt is currently on a road tour leading through Victoria and up the east coast and finally on to Darwin. On his travels he has met with Matt Box, a man passionate about turning hemp into housing.

Matt Box with his building material (hemp hurd)
Construction underway with hempcrete
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