Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) hemp has had multiple uses over thousands of years, including food, construction, fuels and fibre,

(ii) despite hemp containing less than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol, industry growth has been stalled by the prohibition on cannabis (a different plant species variety),

(iii) in 2017 Australia was the last country in the world to legalise hemp for food,

(iv) the global hemp market is forecast to grow from $3.5 billion to $26.6 billion by 2025, presenting significant opportunities for Australian farmers,

(v) Tasmania currently produces around 80% of the nation's hemp crop,

(vi) hemp used in rotation with other crops, such as cotton, can improve soil health, and

(vii) AgriFutures identified barriers to industry growth, including low scale of production, incomplete agronomic information, limited varieties, imperfect mechanisation for harvesting and no major processing infrastructure or long-term markets, and hemp has not benefitted from the research and development funding enjoyed by other agricultural industries;

(b) recognises more government focus on research and development is needed to enhance innovation and grow the industry; and

(c) calls on the Federal Government to support jobs and farmers in regional Australia by encouraging the growth of the hemp industry.