Hemp growers set to reap reward

AUSTRALIA’S first legal industrial hemp seed crop to be used as a highprotein superfood is getting ready to be harvested near Launceston. Fair Foods co-founders Nathan MMcNiece and Tim Crow starstart harvesting on Monday Mond with another four to five growers in the area to quickly q follow. This season, 460 hectares of industrial hemp will be harvested across the state, mostly from crops c grown between be Longford and Burnie. NearNea Cygnet, 13Seeds hhemp farm, which hhas 24 hhemp product lines, has a 25ha commercial crop for food and fibre.

Fair Foods’ crop, planted in 2017 and covering 10ha, is at peak stage, bearing more than 10 tonnes of seeds.

Hemp Association of Tasmania president Tim Schmidt said it was great to see so many new growers having a go.

“About $2 million has been invested in Tasmania in the last 18 months as a result of the development in the industry,” Mr Schmidt said.

“With new infrastructure established and experienced contractors on the job, we are looking forward to a smooth harvest.”

Industrial hemp is not a drug, and in the US and Canada the industry is worth about $742 million.

The Fair Foods pair has invested in the dehulling plant at Deloraine, allowing for this season’s crops to be processed and packaged in Tasmania.

“We’ve been working with Tasmanian farmers over the past few years to produce this incredible source of sustainable nutrition, and we’re excited to finally make it available to Australian consumers,” Mr Crow said.

Mr McNiece said the harvest was the culmination of four years’ effort, and a powerful symbol of the future of sustainable food in Australia.

“Hemp is a sustainable and high-quality source of protein,” he said.

An industrial hemp field day is on from 2pm today at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture research facility at Forthside.