Trial cultivation of industrial hemp - With Q&A
27 April 2001 Media Statement
Trial cultivation of industrial hemp
EMBARGOED TO 1.30PM, FRIDAY, 27 APRIL
Health Minister Annette King today announced the cultivation of trial plots of industrial hemp would be allowed under strict guidelines.
The decision to allow the trial cultivation in New Zealand follows a recent decision by the New South Wales Department of Agriculture to allow similar trials to proceed.
"Hemp, regardless of how it is used, falls within the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. For this reason, careful consideration has been given to ensuring that the application and monitoring procedures for cultivation of industrial hemp provides the appropriate protection for all involved," Mrs King said.
"A key component of any licence to run a trial plot will be allowing officials access to the cultivation site, as well as random sampling and provision of data. This will allow us to ensure THC concentrations in plants in trial plots are well below that which might aggravate potential issues under the Act."
Mrs King said the guidelines had been supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Economic Development, Customs, police, Te Puni Kokiri, and ESR. The initiative was also supported by Federated Farmers and the NZ Hemp Industries Association.
Issues of disposal and destruction of harvested material would also need careful monitoring, she said. "Applicants will be required to provide full details of disposal and destruction, as well as to explain how they will deal with regrowth from harvested plants and plants grown from germination of seed produced by the trial plants."
Mrs King said cultivation
of industrial hemp was something completely new for New
Zealand, and as long as the process for applications and
ongoing management was controlled, successful trials could
open lucrative new markets.
"The controls we have put in
place are there for the safety and benefit of all involved,"
she said.
ENDS
Questions & Answers
Who is able to grow
industrial hemp?
Anyone who is able to demonstrate that
they meet appropriate criteria; that they are a suitable
person; are able to grow the crop without it being tampered
with; that they can meet the crop trial reporting
requirements and have appropriate technical expertise.
How
long are the trials for?
Licences are issued for one
year. The trial will be run for two growing seasons (two
years).
How much can each individual trialist grow?
There is no set limit for each trial licence but each
licensee must justify the size of the crop and the end use
of the crop and security features are likely to be limiting
factors for large individual crops.
Where will seeds be
sourced from?
Sourcing and purchasing of the seeds will
be up to those involved in the trial. However, seeds must
meet the import health standard to ensure they are for low
THC (active ingredient) industrial hemp and have
demonstrated ability to maintain low THC levels when
cultivated. An Industrial Hemp Import Health Standard has
been prepared by MAF and is being circulated for comment.
It is likely to be finalised by mid June. An import Health
Standard is a certificate allowing the import of the
material under certain conditions.
What assurances are
there for the public that the industrial hemp will be
trialed securely?
Each applicant must file a detailed
security plan that will be scrutinised by the inter-agency
working group to ensure that adequate security is in place
to protect the crop.
Will industrial hemp be able to be
used for illicit purposes?
No. The level of THC for
industrial hemp must be less than 0.35% of the dry weight of
the plant - and in some varieties will be even less. The
level of THC is roughly ten to twenty times lower than that
found in illicit cannabis cigarette and would not give
anyone consuming it a “high”
What is industrial hemp used
for?
Insulation, textiles, cosmetics, oils and rope are
the most common uses
What have similar trials in overseas
countries shown?
They have shown that properly conducted
trials are important for assessing if the crop can be grown
successfully. In some countries (Canada and the UK) this
has led to the establishment of Hemp Industries. The trials
in Australia have had only limited success.
Why is the
crop being trialed in NZ?
To evaluate if the crop can
be successfully grown here and what varieties are most
suitable for our conditions. They are a simple agricultural
trial and will not establish if a crop is commercially
viable.
Isn't it against the law to grow hemp (cannabis);
are the trials legal?
It is against the law to grow
cannabis unless you have a licence approved by the Minister
of Health.
What happens when the trials are concluded in
two years time?
They will be evaluated and if they have
been successful the Working Group will consider what
restrictions need to be placed on commercial cultivation.
The working group membership has representation from the
Ministry of Health, MAF, Customs, Ministry of Economic
Development, Police, ESR and Te Puni Kokiri.
What measures
are in place to prevent genetically modified seeds for
industrial hemp coming into the country?
Seed importers
have a legal obligation under the HASNO Act administered by
ERMA to not import genetically modified seeds unless
specific authorisation has been given by ERMA. The
Government is not aware of any GM hemp seed being grown
commercially overseas.
Will seed crops be able to be grown
in the trial?
Yes.
What special restrictions are
placed on seed crops?
Seed crops will require tighter
security and measures to prevent regrowth.
What is being
done to prevent contamination (by unwanted crops) coming to
NZ in industrial hemp seeds?
The seed standard requires
measures to be taken to eliminate any plant or insect
pests.
How do we ensure the industrial hemp crops are not
tampered with?
It is up to the licensee to ensure that
adequate security is in place. Any tampering must be
reported to the Ministry of Health or the Police.
How is
security enforced?
There will be random audits of sites
to check that they have the necessary provisions in
place.
How will authorities be able to ensure that illicit
cannabis is not being grown under the guise of low THC
industrial hemp or as part of the crop?
This will be
evident on the audit and also from sampling and
testing.
What assurance do we have that industrial hemp
will not become a noxious weed?
There is no evidence of
this happening anywhere else but at the end of each trial
all unused matter has to be destroyed.
What testing is
done to ensure industrial hemp remains a low THC product?
Licencees must provide samples for testing prior to
harvest but random audits will be done too. Any crops with
THC level over 0.35% by dry weight may have to be
destroyed.
How much will it cost the Government to run the
trials?
The trials are being funded by the applicants
themselves.
How much will it cost individuals to take
part in the trial?
The trial should be regarded as a
research and development investment as growers determine
which are the best cultivars (seed varieties) for the New
Zealand climate and how best it should be grown. The Hemp
Association estimates it may cost as much as $35,000 to
$50,000 per hectare to grow initially, depending on capital
outlay for equipment.
How does this compare with growing
and harvesting other crops?
Barley (feed) would cost
$1000 to $1500 per hectare
How is the crop disposed of?
If there is no end use - such as cloth or insulation -
the crop is destroyed.
What happens when crops are
destroyed?
The crops are either burned or ploughed back
into the soil. This is carried out under supervision by
Ministry of Health
officials.