Speaking at the Australian Industrial Hemp Conference in the Hunter Valley, NSW, HFA CEO Lauchlan Grout outlined the case for industrial hemp as a break crop in Queensland and New South Wales rotations, with benefits for carbon capture and soil health.
Mr Grout, who is also Vice-Chair of the Australian Hemp Council, said industrial hemp’s rapid growth and high biomass allow it to draw significant carbon from the atmosphere within a single season, while its deep root system helps improve soil structure for the crops that follow.
For producers, he said the potential benefits include more diversified income, improved soil fertility and reduced herbicide use. Hemp’s capacity to take up heavy metals from contaminated soil, the subject of a growing body of research, also makes it relevant to mining, energy and water businesses working on land rehabilitation.
Mr Grout pointed to the AgriFutures Australia national variety trials, which grew industrial hemp at sites from Queensland to Tasmania and South Australia and compared overseas varieties with HFA’s Australian-bred Ruby. Ruby outperformed most of the other varieties across a range of criteria and at a majority of sites.
“The geographic flexibility of hemp is impressive, it thrives from arid plains to temperate regions,” he said. “Hemp is not just another crop. Its rapid growth and ease of cultivation make it a practical choice for agriculturalists seeking sustainable solutions.”
About Hemp Farms Australia
Hemp Farms Australia (HFA) is a Queensland-based industrial hemp genetics company headquartered in South Brisbane. Established in 2013, HFA breeds and supplies registered, non-GMO industrial hemp cultivars for growers in Australia and overseas, building on breeding work that began in 1996.