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Wednesday, August 25, 2004

‘Attitude’ limiting hemp

Claire Konkes, Mercury News

AUSTRALIA — The only thing stopping hemp from being a Tasmanian success story is the attitude of the Federal Government, says one of the pioneers of the controversial crop.

Launching the first commercial quantity of hemp mulch for Tasmanian gardens, Hemp Co-Op Tasmania director Phillip Warner said the Howard Government had an out-dated attitude to hemp.

He said supporting a hemp industry did not send mixed messages condoning marijuana use.

“We need them to come out and say there is a big difference between industrial hemp and marijuana,” he said.

“We need them to signal to industry that they support it.”

Sales of small amounts of mulch at Tasmanian garden supply stores in recent years showed the public knew the difference between hemp and marijuana, he said.

Now eight tonnes is available for home gardeners as a substitute for pea or barley straw. The 15kg bags hold 135 litres of compressed mulch and retail for about $18.

Mr Warner said the hemp available at garden supply stores was grown in Queensland from Tasmanian seed, because Tasmania did not have its own mill.

Less than 50ha of hemp was grown in Tasmania and a viable industry would need 10 times that to justify a mill in the state, he said.

Trials in orchards by the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research found hemp outperformed eight other mulch types.

Institute research officer Justin Direen said the research was triggered by orchardists, who wanted to use less herbicide.

Along with stopping weeds, hemp proved excellent for water retention and soil fertility.

Mr Warner said all industries started off small and needed government support to encourage growers to try the crop, but the Federal Government was keeping its blinkers on.

A potential competitor for cotton, hemp had been embraced by Queensland growers because it required fewer herbicides and improved the soil for the next crop, he said.

Queensland’s warm, wet climate meant crops were bigger than Tasmania’s, but Tasmanian trials had produced better quality. Mr Warner blamed the heavy lobbying of agricultural chemical companies and the petrochemical industry for keeping support away from growing hemp.

The Federal Government’s reluctance to accept Food Standards New Zealand recommendations for hemp to be used for food was also stalling development.

Copyright © 2004, Mercury News. All rights reserved.

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