At our last meeting we had the AHC AGM, the membership and executive remained the same being:
Tim Schmidt – AHC President and Tasmanian Hemp Association rep. Gail Stubber – AHC Vice President and iHemp WA rep. Bernard Thomson – AHC Treasurer and Executive Officer Mick Anderson – Industrial Hemp Association South Australia rep. Lyn Stephenson – Regenerative Hemp Victoria rep. Jaimie Milling – iHemp NSW rep. Lauchlan Grout – Queensland Hemp Association rep. Dominic Calder – Northern Territory Farmers rep.
Currently the Council is considering the establishment of a number of committees to cover various sectors of the industry, more details will follow in our next report.
AHC Agronomy Working Group Meeting The Agronomy Working Group is an open forum for growers, agronomists and researchers in the hemp industry where new agronomic information and research is discussed as well as providing Industry direction for Government investment.
The Agronomy Working Group met on 28th September and did a preliminary review of the Best Management Practices guide which is coming along nicely. Also, in an update on the CRC bid by Dr Gavin Ash, there have been further pledges for the bid taking the amount to just under $50m, which equates to close to a $200M investment into industrial hemp research over the next 10 years.
Peter Dal Santo gave us an update on the status of crop chemical permits, a most recent report will be available to members on this website in the Agronomy Forum. We have learnt that permits PER85055 (fungicides) and PER85061 are due to expire in the near future and understand that the AIHA is in the process of renewing these permits. Given the lag time for renewals there will be a period between expired and renewal where these chemicals will not be available for application in hemp.
The full agronomy meeting minutes will be available in the Agronomy Forum, where further chemical permits applications are discussed along with other agronomy and research issues.
The Forum is open to growers, researchers and agronomists and agronomists and membership is by invitation. If you are interested in joining please send an email request to tim.schmidt@australianhempcouncil.org.au with details of your current activities in the hemp industry.
Agrifutures project update
Agrifutures have recently issued a hemp industry newsletter with updates on current hemp projects they are supporting throughout Australia, including:
Industrial Hemp Variety Trials (IHVT)
Developing Technical Plans for Processing Australian Industrial Hemp Straw
Opening the Gates to Hemp Grazed Livestock in Australia – Phase 2
Hemp Harvesting and Processing
Australian Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa) Agronomic Scoping Studies; and
Best Practice Manual for Growing, Harvesting and Storing Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa) in Australia.
Plus
Developing A Northern Industrial Hemp Industry Value Chain
Investigating the Potential of Hemp as a Forage Crop
These last two projects have now been concluded and details will be published by the end of the year.
In addition to all these great projects, and as an indication of the fantastic support for our industry, Agrifutures has also announced a five year $2.5M commitment to industrial hemp research. Agrifutures will soon seek expressions of interest from interested research organisations, industry participants and seed suppliers to be involved in the five year program of research.
News from our State members around the country
iHemp WA – Gail Stubber The iHemp WA AGM was held last Saturday 1 October, details can be viewed on their website.
There are two companies encouraging farmers to grow in WA – Margaret River Hemp Processing have a number of farmers they are cultivating to grow Frog1 for stem for their house building. Harvey Hemp is aiming to get a number of farmers, new and old, to grow for them and this is driving some new people into the industry.
To date we have heard nothing back from the Select committee into Cannabis and Hemp and no discussion about the restrictions on entry into the business. The research results are still pending from the trials in WA but have been promised to be out by end of September.
NT Farmers – Dominic Calder It’s quiet at the moment in the NT. First of the build up is starting to make an appearance.
Our key grower will get things started here soon, making plans to get his first crop in and out of the ground before the wet season hits. There won’t be a market for his product but he has plans to construct the internal walls of his new house with hempcrete. Watch this space.
Our small hemp community up here have agreed to hold monthly meetings to keep everyone up to date with any progress. First meeting was held this month. Hopefully this will become a fixture and grow over time.
IVHT trials in progress, results pending.
iHemp NSW – Jaimie Milling NSW is very wet at the moment with all water tables, creeks, rivers and dams at full capacity.
IHemp NSW has secured a new public officer/ membership, website manager today.
We are scheduled to have discussions with the NSW DPI on aspects of the hemp industry regulations in NSW. This is a positive step moving forward for the hemp industry.
Queensland Hemp Association – Lauchlan Grout Our AGM was held in August with 22 attendees and a great outcome, the current executive board re-elected with a new Treasurer being appointed.
Meeting with QLD Minister of Ag confirmed for the 14th October.
Tasmanian Hemp Association – Tim Schmidt The THA AGM was held 2 September. I stood down as president and Andi Lucas is now the THA president. Further details can be viewed on our website.
It looks like there will be another contraction of planting in the state this year, some growers are being tempted by greater returns on other crops.
We are getting prepared for the variety trials, although some seed supply is not going smoothly given the excessive time it takes for authorities to process imported seed through quarantine.
We are waiting patiently to see what the market response will be for the awareness campaign on the benefits of Tasmanian hemp foods, which is about to commence over the next few weeks.
IHASA – Mick Andersen Not a great deal to report in SA, we attended the fine food Australia trade show, where Ananda foods were also present. There were strong inquiry for hemp products throughout the show.
We now know of two proposed fibre processing projects for South Australia and we will have more information to follow. Also, there is strong interest in establishment of a hemp textile fibre industry in South Australia.
Regenerative Hemp Victoria – Lyn Stephenson It has been quite wet here recently. Our organisation is continuing to grow in membership and it has been encouraging to have new members volunteering for positions on the committee.
There are currently two groups looking to progress fibre processing developments, however it is early days at the moment.
We will have further news soon.
If you have information or news you would like to share with the industry, please get in touch with Bernard, our EO at info@australianhempcouncil.org.au.
Iggy is the Chairperson of iHempWA and founder and CEO of Hemp Squared, manufacturer of hempcrete building materials.
His extensive management and leadership knowledge, skills and experience in a variety of industries, contribute to the development of the hemp industry.
He believes that credible research, collaborating and sharing information with others is key to making the industrial hemp industry a success and a true alternative to current common materials and practices in Australia and globally.
Hemp Farms Australia is an industrial hemp farming business. With our base of operations in Queensland, HFA focuses on mainland Australia, providing high quality reliable and registered industrial cannabis seed suited for grain or fibre production.
Tim was the recipient of the 2019 Ronald Badman Family, Churchill Fellowship to further develop expertise in the cultivation, manufacturing, science and policy of industrial hemp.
He has travelled through more than 10 countries to understand the global industry and where Australia is best suited to capitalise on the future growth. He is also Managing Director of Hemp Harvests, who manufacture a range of hemp seed ingredients that are supplied into the food, cosmetics, and livestock industries.
Tim has also served on the Tasmanian Hemp Association board since 2019, and continues to liaise with industry and government to help foster the local industry.
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.
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.
LEAWOOD HEMP RELEASES SEED SUPPLY FOR START UP GROWERS
CULTIVATION PLANTING SEED AVAILABLE NOW FOR THIS SEASON
AVAILABLE PLANTING SEED:
· ANKA
· CRS-1
· CFX
· FROG
· FERIMON
· FEDORA 17
· FIBROR 79
· USO 31
· FUTURA-75
· INDIAN
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.