Hemp growers have welcomed the easing of restrictions on the growing of hemp for construction and fibre purposes.
The Victorian Government has committed to cutting red tape by adopting recommendations from last year’s hemp industry inquiry.
The inquiry was undertaken by Legislative Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee and its report tabled by chair and State Member for Northern Victoria Georgie Purcell on November 30, 2023.
Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne has lobbied the Allan Government to support the hemp industry by adopting all recommendations.
“Hemp is a wonder crop that can be used in building materials, textiles and foods,” Ms Payne said.
“I’m delighted to hear that the Allan Government will back many of our findings, for example considering stand-alone legislation similar to other states and committing to simplify the licensing process.”
Ms Payne has long lobbied the government for standalone industrial legislation and introduced the Hemp Industry Bill 2024 for a second reading on Wednesday, May 1.
Parliament did not vote on the bill in order to allow the government to respond to the inquiry’s recommendations.
Farmers currently need to apply for a time-consuming and costly licence to grow hemp and undergo police checks.
“The government will now task Agriculture Victoria with streamlining this,” Ms Payne said.
Because hemp was considered an ‘industry’ product, it could not be processed on farms.
“Hemp products will (now) be defined as ‘Rural Industry’ — another win for farmers, because it gives them the option of processing hemp on their properties,” Ms Payne said.
“This means they can make anything from hemp soap to hemp fabric.”
Ms Payne said she would now lobby the government further to fund a hemp cooperative in Victoria to support growers and manufacturers and suggested the void left by the ending of native timber logging could be replaced with a hemp industry.
“How great would it be if ... communities that once relied on native timber logging could set up hemp processing hubs in a hemp cooperative,” she said.
“This would create jobs and financial stability for the former logging communities of eastern Victoria, as industrial hemp is another chip and pulp industry.”
Ms Payne said she hoped the Victorian Government would advocate to the Federal Government to support the hemp industry, including changes for whole plant use, including medicinal cannabidiol extract and using hemp in carbon credits schemes.