The coming year is going to be a big one for the Australian hemp industry.
If you are interested in what’s happening in the Australian fibre industry, then you need to attend (remotely or in person) the AHC fibre forum, to be held March 29th and 30th, venue yet to be confirmed. This fibre specific forum will cover the 6 emerging major projects being developed over the next 2 years ranging from Townsville in north Queensland to Monarto in South Australia. Some of these projects have farmers growing hemp for fibre already. Also covered at the forum will be end product markets, pitfalls of decortication development and an update on carbon sequestration opportunities. Further details will be advertised within the next 4 weeks.
Recently Matt Weir from IKG industries gave a talk to the council on the unique technology and plans for their project development, just one of a number of exciting initiatives planned for the new year.
As a follow up on the saga for Vasse Valley Hemp with the online payment processor Stripe, we are happy to report that Stripe has reactivated their account and paid the funds owed to Vasse Valley. In the meantime, Dr Bronwyn Blake – managing director of Vasse Valley hemp farm, has found that a small Australian online payment processor named https://tillpayments.com/ were happy to work with them as an alternative to Stripe.
Agrifutures There is a pending report about to be released commissioned by Agrifutures on Technology mapping for industrial hemp, By Professor Derek Baker. Keep an eye out for it as it is a comprehensive up to date and well researched analysis of industrial hemp technology, in particular relating to fibre industry development in Australia. The purpose of the project is to scan horizons for suitable technology for a number of industries, and look at the mechanisms and incentives for change. We will provide a link to the report when it becomes available.
The IHVT first year trial reports for the 2021-22 growing season are now available on the Agrifutures website (links below).
AgriFutures will facilitate a workshop of identified collaborators in the Australian Industrial Hemp Five-Year Program of Research on 17th and 18th January 2023. There will be 30 attendees who had earlier put in an expression of interest to attend. I will be representing the AHC at the workshop. At the conclusion of the workshop, some of us will be attending an IHVT field day at Loxton trial site in South Australia at 10 am 19th of January. This field day at Loxton is open to the public.
The Best Management Practices guide project, administered by the AHC with Stuart Gordon as the project manager is nearing completion. Currently it’s in the final stages with the agronomy working group and others providing a final industry review which closes 6th January.
State Reports
WA – Gail Stubber WA has almost completed all plantings for this season. There are eight known crops being grown of about 100 ha in the southern area of WA. There are research trials in both Manjimup and Kununurra.
Greg LeGuier and Mark Power from Harvey Hemp. Picture: Harvey Hemp
Harvey Hemp received $50,000 under the Regional Economic Development Scheme for a seed drying and cleaning facility at their oil processing plant in Harvey.
Minister McTeirnan has resigned from her portfolio from Department of Primary Industry and Regional development and we are waiting to see who is will be the new minister in charge of Agriculture and development. Both of which are crucial to the development of Hemp in WA. HempGro (WA Hemp Growers’ Co-op) is aiming to have a round table with the person and inform them of the issues in developing the hemp industry and supply chain in WA and hopefully, plan out a strategy with their department for the next few years.
The weather has proven to be a challenge for some of the farmers who have received rain at the wrong time of the year. They are waiting to see if their crops are going to develop well. There has been some rogue seed in WA that have not produced a good germination rate, which is disappointing for both farmers and the industry.
The small processing unit is still under consideration for the South West but did not get a grant approval in the last round.
The Co-op still has around 5 tonne of seed for sale – with a germination rate of 80%+ and certified IH, so looking for buyers across Australia
The Senate Select committee into Cannabis and Industrial Hemp has not yet put out its recommendations. IHWA aim will be to approach them in the New year and see if they need any more information.
Hemp Squared has been working in the innovative building space and has won the 2022 PropTech showdown award. This resulted in a TV show appearance, $1000 cash and bragging rights.
NT – Dominic Calder The wet season is around the corner. Sowing of wet season crops has begun in trickles with early showers.
IVHT trial results have indicated the dual purpose varieties performed better. We look forward to the final analysis.
NSW – Jaimie Milling The rain has eased for the meantime in NSW with the ground drying out very quickly. Harvest is well on the way in the state with some great results and a few bad ones as well.
I have made contact with Mark Bryant several times now and helped him out with his request for Hemp Leaf. He is the AU partner for Rush. GMBH. Natural Products.
I have gained approval and support from the NSW DPI with this project. The NSW DPI will allow me to move plant material from A to B within NSW to support the trial work needed for this Natural spray fungicide. I’ve been able to secure samples of leaf matter for this project.
This would be very beneficial to the hemp industry, for hemp growers having a guaranteed market at our doorstep.
QLD – Lauchlan Grout QHA and QLD Parliament have been working together to improve small issues currently impeding major operations. Allowing leaf material to be removed from a production site for the purpose of biomass processing as well as alignment with the Hemp CRC to investigate research into sustainable/renewable projects.
QLD Policy managers have recognised there is a requirement to test industrial hemp plant material for the purpose of analysing health, recognising disease/virus and improving the agronomic knowledge of industrial hemp. Early 2023 will see an update to the Grower’s License to include this change, as well as other potential additions being discussed.
Cropping and Research: Majority of the large crops have been pushed back to Feb/Mar planting windows due to potential hazardous rains. Approx 250ha will be planted in North QLD. Two mining companies are running phytoremediation trials on their soil (5ha each), with the plan to run 1000ha next June/July – collecting ACCU’s and exporting harvested material once processed to a large Japanese company.
On the seed side of things, Hemp Farms Australia currently have 45 tonne of Ruby Seed which is available now as a result of an international buyer falling through with funding. This seed has been shown to have an 86% germination rate for upcoming grain and dual-purpose production sowing windows. Get in touch with Hemp Farms Australia for more info.
TAS – Tim Schmidt We can confirm the planting area in Tasmania is the lowest since before hemp food was legalised, being under 100ha from a peak a few years ago of 1,400ha. This is a result of overproduction, not a result of faltering sales. Some consolidation in the industry is occurring where Australia Primary Hemp has merged with Hemp Foods Australia and ECS Botanics has sold their food division to Ananda Foods.
The IHVT trials have been planted and have emerged.
SA – Mick Anderson Vircura have emerged in SA as a large grower and processor of hemp fibre. Good Country Hemp have assisted them by connecting growers who have sown 75ha of Ruby and Yuma varieties, the last pivot was sown late last week. Late season due to prolonged spring rainfall. They have purchased an Ashford decorticator whilst they wait for their US decorticator to arrive mid next year. They have plans to make hemp construction panels, hemp fibre composites and eventually bioplastics.
Hemp food sales are increasing month on month.
Hemp growers Steve and Mick Moutlon grew their first hemp crop in 2018/19 and have consistently broken yield records.
VIC – Lyn Stephenson As at early December, it was still too wet to do anything. By the end of December, the ground had dried out, water had receded in flooded areas and salvaging work in many areas had begun. It is unlikely that there will be any significant hemp crops in the State this season.
The Victorian Government has brought into effect the 1% THC limit for processing seed, however they have kept the limit for planting seed at .35%, as opposed to .5% in other state areas. The legislative review panel seemed to ignore comments and suggestions from Regenerative Hemp Victoria and the AHC on the proposed changes which have now been implemented. We are making representations to the Agriculture Minister (who was newly appointed mid-year) and also to the Hemp Task Force. The latter was established in 2019, and produced an interim report which was primarily a summary of the status of the industry in Australia and overseas. There has been no further update on the operation of the Task Force.
There was a delegation of industrial hemp researchers from German and Belgian universities and research institutes to Australia and New Zealand in the week beginning November 14, 2022. The CSIRO at Werribee hosted them for part of their Australian visit by facilitating a seminar which provided an excellent opportunity for the Australian industrial hemp industry to meet with experts from Europe and to initiate collaborations between the AHC, the AIHA, AA, CSIRO and hopefully the hemp CRC. Many interesting points from the European experience came out. One notable example is that they are steering away from machine decortication and reverting to an improved method of field retting.
The Australian Hemp Council is a non profit volunteer organisation working hard to help the Australian hemp industry grow. We thank you for helping us support those in the industry, when and where possible. By joining your state hemp organisation you will be giving us the needed support to help change our Australian hemp industry for the better. As always, to be up to date for all information regarding hemp processing, growing in Australia be sure to subscribe to our mailing list through our website.
From everyone at the AHC, thanks again and see you next month.
Available now: 1.3 tonne of both Fibror 79 and Orion 33 Special price $4.00 plus transport.
The seed was imported in 2021 and has been stored well. Germination tests rate above 65%. Seed is also clean of treatments and so can be used for animal meal and human consumption.
Lauchlan is president and co-founder of the Queensland Hemp Association.
Since 2013, he has been contributing to Australia’s industrial hemp industry from seed to shelf, with improved crop success nationally.
He is focussed on developing successful hemp cultivars as the foundation for a successful hemp industry
Mick Andersen is the founder and owner of Good Country Hemp Pty. Ltd, a hemp foods processing facility based in Bordertown, South Australia. Good Country Hemp contract hemp growers directly, primarily in SA, and have processing lines for cold pressed hemp seed oil and hulled hemp seed, marketed online and through supermarket and health food stores.They also supply bulk hemp food products.
A qualified agricultural engineer, Mick started in the hemp industry in early 2018 after running an agricultural shed construction business for 25 years.
In 2019 Mick visited France and Germany looking at hemp crop varieties and seed processing equipment, and has travelled extensively both in Australia and around worldwide in his previous agricultural roles.
Dr Bronwyn Blake is a member of iHempWA and HempGro, and was an inaugural committee member for both organisations.
Bronwyn and husband, Chris, have been licensed hemp growers since 2014 and currently own and operate Vasse Valley Hemp Farm, WA’s leading hemp foods business.
An Agricultural Scientist, Bronwyn is well known within the hemp industry for her research into hemp forage for livestock and currently leads the AHC’s hemp fodder working group.
As part of our service, we provide full support on low THC varietal selection and breeding targets. Our years of experience in hybrid breeding is the key factor that translates to our clients’ success. Our great understanding and expertise and experience in varietal selection and adaptability to different latitudes helps to reduce risk of crop failure and save huge upfront costs to growers.
Hemp is arguably one of the most important superfoods in the world, with hemp seeds providing us with an invaluable source of protein, essential fatty acids and Omega 3 & 6 plus much more. Hemp has long been used as a food source and it is vital we reintroduce this back into our diets.
Hemp is able to replace the modern diet’s inflammatory fatty acids with the prefect balance of essential fatty acids bringing our system into balance.
Research has shown that to improve cardiovascular health we need to lower blood pressure, raise HDL cholesterol and reduce triglyceride levels.
Hemp seed and hemp oil in our food can contribute directly to these health gains.
Hemp has modest water requirements when growing, producing a fibre which is strong and long lasting as well as mould and bacteria resistant.
Hemp is said to sequester four times as much carbon as a standard pine forest and grows much quicker. Carbon is above all the most important and effective factor on plant growth and life and hemp rapidly stores carbon into the soil increasing the soil productivity.
Hemp is also a bioaccumulator and can be used for phytoremediation by extracting heavy metals and other toxins from contaminated soils.
Hemp has over 25,000 uses and hemp plastics are becoming a popular alternative to our global issue of plastic pollution.
Agriculture
Australian farmers are within grasp of one of the greatest opportunities in Australian agriculture if our government could relax restrictions on ‘whole of plant’ use. Hemp is an emerging crop that ticks many boxes.
It’s a crop that can be grown in all parts of Australia.
It’s a low input crop that benefits the soil structure and biota
It has rapidly emerging innovative markets for its many applications.
It is a superior carbon sequestrator
It is a versatile crop that can be wholly utilised, thus spreading market risk.
If you’re an Australian farmer looking to improve your land and grow a highly sustainable crop or just want to learn how to grow hemp, then follow our newsletter and stay up to date with all current hemp news and updates across Australia.
Hemp Farms Australia is an Australian industrial hemp farming business. We sell hemp genetics for farmers in Australia and around the world to purchase for hemp farming, to harvest for grain (food) or fibre (clothing and building)
We currently have 45 tonnes of dual purpose Ruby available, germination 86%.
Ruby is an Australian industrial hemp cultivar bred in 1998 in Queensland, Australia. With the ability to flower onmaturity instead of day-light-length, this cultivar is very versatile and can be grown three times annually in Queensland.
Tim is president of the Australian Hemp Council and has been farming in Tasmania for the past 20 years. In 2003 the family purchased Woodlands a 350ha farm near Deloraine in Northern Tasmania. Primarily a beef trading and dairy agistment farm they also grow potatoes and hemp.
In 2016 Tim became president of the Tasmanian Hemp Association and has since advocated for the Tasmanian hemp industry. He stepped down as THA president at the AGM on 2 September 2022.
Tim also sits on the TFGA Meat Council, is a longstanding chairman of the Deloraine Landcare Group, past chairman of the Meander Valley Council NRM committee and committee member of the Meander Valley Water Users.
Our Top 5 Cultivars have been developed without genetic modification to grow and thrive in most regions of Australia.
Currently available:
ECO-MS77 is a robust dual-purpose diecious variety of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) bred for a longer internode length than ‘ECO-CHG’, high vegetative force, great capability of adaptation, greater TSW (30 – 32g) and very low cannabinoid (THC and other cannabinoids) content. This variety bred in Australia using a recurrent selection method and is suited to a wide range of latitude (5 – 53) for fiber production.
ECO-Excalibur is a diecious and relatively early maturity industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) variety suited for grain production in mid – high latitudes. This high-yielding variety matures in 100 to 115 days. This variety was bred using population breeding-recurrent selection method to pyramid higher grain yield and shorter maturity window. This is a female predominant variety with an occasional occurrence of monoecious plants.
ECO-CHY is a grain variety of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) bred in Australia for higher seed yield and low THC content that is suited for production in sub-tropical environments. This variety has desired traits for commercial grain yield in sub-tropical environments. It’s unique canopy structure allows commercial farming of this variety at lower planting density and is suitable for row cropping.
Currently unavailable: ECO-CHG, a late dioecious fibre variety suited for fiber production. ECO-CHA, a dual-purpose variety.
For further information visit our website or contact Adam Cantwell: adam@ecofibre.com
Forum Use Policy
This Forum has been created to facilitate the sharing of information concerning Hemp Agronomy.
It is available to invited members only and all information shared belongs to the members of the forum.
The information shared is deemed to be for the benefit of developing the national Hemp Industry in Australia.
Any conflicts of interest or concerns for privacy should be identified to ensure that participants can interact freely.
Jaimie Milling is a fourth-generation farmer who has been in the agriculture industry all his life. He has a Farm Business Management Degree and for 35-years he has owned and managed large broad acre mixed farm operations across NSW. Jaimie also has extensive experience in the agriculture industry both domestically and internationally, having worked in Africa, UK and Europe, as well as in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
He is the co-founder of Canna Hemp Care Pty Ltd, one of the larger hemp growers in NSW, with commercial crops of 20-to-200 hectares. They have strong existing relationships with hemp food and fibre processors and markets both nationally and overseas, and heavily involved in hemp fibre crop growing, marketing and processing.
Midlands Seed is one of Australia’s top agricultural producers of specialty seeds and food ingredients. With world-leading quality as our benchmark, our latitude, temperate climate, pristine air quality, soil types, availability of irrigation, and grower expertise allows us to produce superior products.
Midlands provides bulk supply of premium Hemp Seed for Sowing for planting. As an established company producing a wide variety of arable foods, we are proud of the quality of our bulk supply Hemp Seed for Sowing we deliver to farmers and businesses.