THE laws are yet to pass, but government’s intent to bring poppy production to NSW must be applauded.
It’s an exciting opportunity for our farmers – even if purely economic.
Alkaloid poppies would diversify our $12 billion ag sector and stamp NSW as an open-minded leader in farm innovation.
It could be a key part of state government’s mission to boost farm production 30 per cent by 2020.
Early forays by processors into Victoria and the Northern Territory have shown that poppies are no ‘bloom and boom’ crop, and farm representatives are right to warn against expecting overnight success.
To his credit, Agriculture Minister Niall Blair has backed farmers to show the sophistication and regulatory acumen needed to make the new crop a success. And with global demand for opiate-based medicines set to soar beyond the current oversupply slump, it’s good news that we’ve embraced this frontier.
Which is why the hold-up on low-psychoactive hemp for food is absolutely baffling.
Hemp fibre production was legalised in NSW in 2008. Some NSW farmers have already shown it is easy to grow, resilient, high yielding, and works well in rotation. But farmers say unwarranted suspicion over hemp seeds has prevented it from gaining acceptance as a mainstream broadacre crop that could be worth millions to the state.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand last month gave the nod to legalise food products made from the crop, deeming low-THC industrial hemp seeds safe to eat, as well as associated products such as flour, oil, milk and protein powder.
Several ministers oversee Australian food standards, and so far they’ve been reluctant to back hemp seed. Reasons range from public perception of hemp and confusion over its link to cannabis, to treaty issues.
A proposed framework for hemp food is accepting public submissions, but final approval will most likely depend on a study of whether hemp seed can affect roadside drug tests.
Niall Blair helped NSW break new ground this year when the state was given federal approval to trial medicinal cannabis production. He is also a known supporter of hemp as food.
With poppies – another highly regulated and controlled crop – likely on the way, it’s high time we gave hemp seed the green light too.
