At Hemp Farms Australia, we stand on the shoulders of giants—none more so than John Hall, the original seed breeder whose vision and dedication have shaped the foundation of our success.
In 1996, John embarked on a mission to redefine what industrial hemp could achieve. Through meticulous selective breeding and utilising Growing Degree Days (GDD) to guide his process, John developed over 50% of Australia’s registered and validated varieties by 2008, shaping what we now call our HFA genetic catalogue. Fast forward to 2020 and a gruelling 3 years of development, his efforts yielded a variety designed to thrive in Australia’s unique conditions and meet the demands of an emerging global fibre market.
Our selective breeding efforts on the Wongarra varietal illustrate a meticulous and data-driven approach to developing superior hemp genetics. By leveraging Growing Degree Days (GDD) as a key metric, we have ensured the plants matured optimally for the targeted climatic conditions. Using original lines like Farnsfield and Bundy Fibre, HFA‘s breeding process focused on essential phenotypes to maximise fibre yield over hurd, versatility and adaptability across low to mid-latitudes and vigorous crop cycles spanning only 130-140 days.
The three-year process underscores the rigour and dedication to achieving a variety that meets agronomic and industry standards. This legacy continues to benefit Australia’s hemp sector with robust and reliable varietals.