Hemp beats weeds on Liverpool Plains

HAYLEY SORENSEN
Quirindi farmer Peter Slade, “Glenmore”, has grown a five hectare trial hemp crop.

Quirindi farmer Peter Slade, “Glenmore”, has grown a five hectare trial hemp crop.

 

AUSTRALIA’S industrial hemp industry has set its sights on the Liverpool Plains as a potential location for large scale production of the fibre crop.Quirindi farmer Peter Slade, “Glenmore”, sowed the district’s first five-hectare trial crop of industrial hemp in late February.
Just eight weeks later, the plants tower above his head.
“It’s amazing, it’s like nothing else I’ve grown,” he said.
Mr Slade, who with his wife Adele also grows millet and nyjer for specialty bird seed products, found industrial hemp was a perfect break crop for his operation.
The hemp grew so rapidly and densely any weeds were quickly choked out, providing a clean slate for the next season’s crop.
 
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