New laws hailed as huge boost for Tasmanian hemp growers

Mercury

Primary Industries Minister and Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff inspecting an industrial hemp crop at Kindred, near Devonport.
 

NEW laws to make it easier to grow industrial hemp have been hailed as a huge opportunity for Tasmanian farmers.

Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the Industrial Hemp Bill 2015, tabled in State Parliament today, would remove unnecessary red tape to encourage investment and create jobs.
The Bill supports the growth of the industrial hemp sector through simplified regulation of the industry.

As it stands, the existing regulation under poisons legislation is a barrier to industry growth.
“This Government has listened to the concerns of the industry,” Mr Rockliff said.
“This Bill will finally cut the unnecessary red tape and recognise industrial hemp is an agricultural crop, while not compromising law enforcement of illicit cannabis.”
The Bill will:

Establish robust and simple regulation, including streamlining the licensing under the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment rather than under the Poisons Act and Department of Health and Human Services;
Legislate to extend licencing from one year to five years to give farmers more certainty to grow the crop; and
Increase the allowable THC threshold from 0.35 per cent to 1.0 per cent to bring the state in line with New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT and allow for easier trade of material.
 
Full Article:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/new-laws-hailed-as-huge-boost-for-tasmanian-hemp-growers/story-fnjj6010-1227538236890