Anger at hemp push stalemate

WHEN Lisa Estreich got involved in the industrial hemp industry, it could have been a pivotal moment for the agricultural crop.

Yet 17 years on, ‘‘we’re still in the same situation’’, she told The Sunday Examiner last week.

It was in 1998 that Ms Estreich moved from Queensland to Tasmania to became involved in the hemp industry, and she is now the state manager of Hemp Australia.

The company is one of two businesses – the other Midland Seeds – that contract Tasmanian farmers to grow hemp seed.

That same year, the first application to permit the use of products from low delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol cannabis plants, such as hemp seed and hemp seed oil as food, was first submitted.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommended it be approved, but federal ministers shot down the idea in 2002, saying ‘‘it may send a confused message to consumers about the acceptability and safety of illicit cannabis’’.

Ms Estreich said hundreds and thousands of dollars had been spent on industrial hemp research since the industry started in Tasmania.

Research has included working out which hemp varieties work best, planting, crop management, improving yield and to prove it is a safe product to eat.

Hemp Australia currently produces to food standards, but cannot sell seeds or noil as food as it is illegal to do so in Australia.

Ms Estreich said it was frustrating that it had been more than 16 years since hemp as food was first discussed and that the issue still hadn’t been resolved.

‘‘It’s all been proven and shown, they’re able to consume it overseas, so it just doesn’t make sense,’’ she said.

Ms Estreich said because of the delay, they had gone from having anywhere between eight to 10 growers across Tasmania to two, although, crop area planted had always stayed the same.

‘‘We don’t have an open-ended purse,’’ she said.

‘‘We can’t afford as an Australian company to continue expanding further and grow for the domestic market when we can’t legally consume the product here.

‘‘But we will still be looking at putting more crops into the ground this summer (in case hemp for food is approved).’’

Food derived from hemp has been proven by Food Standards Australia New Zealand to contain omega-3 , omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.

It is also a protein supplement and as a flour substitute for people with gluten intolerance.

‘‘Hemp could add another product that is like soy, but much better for you,’’ Ms Estreich said.

‘‘We can make hemp milk, tofu, flour, ice-cream – the potential is there and it’s as big as the market wants to take it.’’

The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation will meet again until the first quarter of 2016, when it is expected to discuss the hemp for food debate.

However, Industrial Hemp Association of Tasmania president Phil Reader said federal ministers could turn around tomorrow and overturn the committee’s recent move to delay its decision.

Mr Reader said currently hemp growers had been getting a gross figure of about $3.50 a kilogram for seed.

‘‘There’s every indication that it could be up to double that if hemp for human consumption is approved,’’ he said.

Ms Estreich said despite it being such a long road in the hemp for food debate, she couldn’t walk away from the industry.

‘‘Tasmania is my adopted home, I love Tasmania and I would love to see us continue expanding,’’ she said.

‘‘We are Australian leaders in hemp seed production, but need to see the industry grow.

‘‘They want us to be a food bowl, so come on let’s do it.

‘‘We want to stay and we want to continue to have 100 per cent Australian production.’’

Hemp Australia currently presses its hemp seeds in Victoria, but would love to eventually do everything in Tasmania.

The state government has always supported the push for hemp to be used for food.