news, local-news

A BURNIE farmer has temporarily shelved his industrial hemp crop after about 11 separate thefts - one involving "up to 1000 plants". Ian Chamley, a commercial industrial hemp farmer for the past decade, said the Tasmania Police Drug Squad and Poppy Advisory and Control Board had now asked he move his crop further away from the roadside - something the potato farmer will have to do for any future crops. Mr Chamley said police suspected the thieves had planned to mix the industrial hemp, not to be confused with the illegal drug cannabis, with marijuana to sell to unsuspecting buyers. "They (the thefts) ranged from seven or eight plants or heads missing up to 1000 plants," Mr Chamley said. He said the thefts, despite warning signs placed on his fence line, happened "all through last season". "I had a particular problem with people pinching it last year," he said. Mr Chamley said the thefts from his 9ha hemp crop made barely any difference to its viability but they became a headache in terms of the reporting and red tape in dealing with the various authorities. "It's just a time loss - the product loss is nothing," he said. Mr Chamley repeated the fact industrial hemp could not be used to get stoned. "You physically cannot ingest enough of it quick enough (to get high)," he said. He said the thefts had not deterred him from planting future industrial hemp crops, however he would need to reconfigure his crop layout to appease authorities. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) is currently considering potentially expanding the hemp industry in Australia to also add the crop to retailed food products. FSANZ received an application in 2009 for hemp seed and seed products to be used in food. An earlier bid in 2002 failed after concerns "the use of hemp in food may send a confused message to consumers about the acceptability and safety of cannabis". Back then, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council opted for "total prohibition".

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