New Industry Association Formed To Promote Hemp In Western Australia

[Jacob Redmond]

A newly-formed industry association will seek to promote the farming and processing of hemp products in Western Australia.

The Industrial Hemp Western Australia Association, known as iHempWA, held its first annual general meeting in Margaret River on October 4.

A committee of 12 was elected from 28 members.

Hemp is a strain of the cannabis plant that contains low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical associated with psychoactive properties in marijuana.

Nannup hemp grower Glenn Ossy-Orley is in his second growing season and was appointed chair of the association.

It is legal to grow hemp in Australia under a licence, but the product may not be used for consumption.

Mr Ossy-Orley said he was only growing about half a hectare of crop for seed stock cultivation.

He said he was hoping to build up seed stock to supply other farmers.

"At the moment there's a shortage of seed," Mr Ossy-Orley said.

"There's a shortage of the type that I grow, which is the plant that is high in the CBD [cannabidiol] oil rather than THC."

Mr Ossy-Orley said he and the association were seeking to grow the industry to capitalise on high demand for hemp products.

He said there was growing demand for the many manufacturing and industrial uses for the plant domestically and overseas.

"The oils can be turned into plastics," he said.

"It could be used in textiles [and] construction – we can't keep up for the demand for [hemp concrete]."

Hemp Crop Grows Well In WA

Mr Ossy-Orley said the crop grew well in Western Australia's south-west, but the plant required a lot of water.

He said the main reason there was a shortage of farmers opting to grow the crop was fear.

"A lot of people are scared," he said. "And when you try to explain to them that there's little THC, they are a little bit interested but they are still scared."

Mr Ossy-Orley said there was a need to reduce red tape and restrictions on growing hemp to ensure industry success.

He said it was an important environmentally sustainable commodity.

Australian hemp growers and a consumer body are currently lobbying the government to overturn the restrictions on hemp consumption.

Hemp supporters around Australia believe that more farmers should be growing the crop to take advantage of demand.

Education Is The Key

Industrial Hemp Western Australia Association secretary David Chick said the key to industry success was to break down the stigma associated with hemp.

Mr Chick said the association would dedicate itself to teaching the public about the industrial uses for the plant.

He said the industry needed support to supply growing markets.

"We need growers because of the demand," he said.

"We've got a lot of demand for building products, which is concrete made from the core of the stem."

News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: New Industry Association Formed To Promote Hemp In Western Australia
Author: Bridget Fitzgerald
Contact: Contact Page
Photo Credit: David Chick
Website: ABC Australia

 

[Redhawk44]

Innacurate statement, all HEMP is Cannabis.

Sativa, Indica and Ruderalis are strains.
The many other man bred types are cultivars. Usually bred for taste or convenience although the producers tend to believe that it also increases THC etc.. Any of the basic strains can either be higher or lower in THC. This largely depends on the way the plant is grown or otherwise treated during its growth. Sativa plants grown close together for fibre or seed crops do not produce high levels of THC and these plants are usually allowed to fertilise and set seed. As soon as fertilisation occurs the plant ceases to produce the trichomes and store THC Etc. and concentrates on reproduction i.e the plants energy is directed to seed production. Indica varieties perform the same way though the plants are generally shorter and the fibre of less utility for that reason though the plants are easier to handle after harvest. Ruderalis is very short in comparison but given its origins and the short time it has to reproduce that is hardly surprising it too has some use as a predominantly fibre crop. Now if allowed to grow unrestricted and or LST grown even the lowly Ruderalis will produce significant quantities of THC etc. Ok it certainly is not at the level of some of the specially bred cultivars but it is enough to get the job done. Sativa, the mainstay of the industrial Hemp market will as we know produce really significant quantities of THC and the other cannabinoids if grown in the right conditions and wide enough apart to allow it to spread its branches. Of course in an industrial hemp field it will be fertilised by the male plants and so is useless as a drug. But even so called industrial Hemp will when grown properly and prevented from setting seed, produce some excellent smoke. Indica will do exactly the same grown in tight rows it will stretch high with little side branching and few flowers, just like Sativa, and just like Sativa industrial grows of Indica will have vastly reduced THC as a result.

Separating Hemp into industrial or otherwise is futile and pointless Hemp is Cannabis and Cannabis is Hemp the way they are grown is what makes the difference. Semantics and laws cannot change change that, neither can wishful thinking on the part of legislators.

Seriously folks if it were possible to prevent any of the cannabis strains from producing THC etc. MONSANTO or some other GM seed/food company would have done so and it would be growing everywhere as a commercial crop. They haven't been able to and it is not, simply because any and all of them properly grown will produce THC, and no one can stop it from doing so. The Creator made it for our use and its uses are many, probably more than we know today.