Australia to allow New South Wales farmers to grow hemp
Monday, June 30th, 2008 at 12:25 pm | By: Radical Russ
State to allow farmers to grow hemp | NEWS.com.au
NEW laws will allow New South Wales farmers to grow cannabis crops for industrial use, the state government says.But the hemp plants will not be varieties containing any significant amount of the active substance in illicit cannabis.
The Hemp Industry Bill will allow farmers to grow hemp (cannabis sativa) for use in skin care products, paint, load-bearing masonry, insulation and as an additive to wool, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said.
Such production is already permitted in Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, the [Australian Capital Territory], Victoria and Western Australia.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries would work with farmers to make sure crops were only grown under a licence by applicants of good repute, Mr Macdonald said.
The licensing system would stop industrial hemp being used as a camouflage for the marijuana variety of hemp, which contains a high concentration of the illicit cannabis drug THC, he said.
The legislation would pave the way for a potentially lucrative industrial hemp industry, providing farmers with the additional option of another fast-growing summer crop, Mr Macdonald said.
Yet another sensible government allowing its people to grow non-drug cannabis. Yet another place overseas for our American dollars to flow to fulfill the domestic demand for hemp products that our struggling family farmers aren’t allowed to grow. And, interestingly, yet another scenario where ignorant politicians don’t realize you can’t use industrial hemp to camouflage consumer cannabis, because hemp will cross-pollinate the cannabis and ruin its potency, and cannabis will cross-pollinate hemp and ruin its fiber potential.
