Will NZ miss the massive economic opportunity?

NZHIA New Zealand Hemp Industries Association

PRESS RELEASE

27 January 2015

Will New Zealand miss the massive economic opportunity available? It all depends on the New Zealand and Australia Food Ministers meeting on 30 January 2015.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) will this week be voting on application A1039 – Low THC hemp seed foods. This is a significant milestone for the local hemp industry.

The forum of Food Minister’s is scheduled to meet in Auckland’s Pullman Hotel on Friday 30 January 2015.

The hemp industry has been waiting over 15 years to get to this point.

Application 1039 follows an original 1998 application, A360 - Hemp as a Novel food, which was unanimously rejected in 2002. It was reconsidered in 2005 but again the majority of Ministers rejected the application, claiming it sent a confusing message to consumers about the acceptability and safety of cannabis.

Since the Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Regulations 2006 allowed low THC hemp to be grown under licence in New Zealand, the industry has been growing predominately for hemp seed, which is made in to hemp seed oil for the local and export market.

New Zealand is allowed to sell hemp seed oil for human consumption, however Australia is not.

A “yes” vote will allow low THC hemp foods to be made available in New Zealand and Australia.

Clearly this would be a massive boost to the local hemp industry, the initial demand would add $30 million to the economy, much of which would be made in rural communities. This would quickly grow to $120 million once people had access to this new super food.

This is only the local market and does not include export potential leading to more employment and business opportunities for our primary producers.

The NZHIA needs to highlight this vote to the public, to ensure they are aware that their Food Ministers are deciding on allowing access to a sustainable source of Omega 3, produced form an annual crop, which requires no pesticides, fungicides or herbicides.

This is a no brainer and should be allowed to proceed.

Hemp seeds contain no THC, no one is going to high from eating hemp seeds. Hemp seeds include Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids, it is a well balanced super food, ideal for human consumption.

Please see www.nzhia.com – especially the current affairs page for more information and a copy of our most recent letter to the Forum (copy attached to this email) along with the contact details for the Forums Food Ministers. This information will help you to understand the importance of allowing access to this amazing food.

It is time to allow us to eat hemp seed foods. There are no valid reasons to continue the prohibition on eating hemp seed foods.

The many positive attributes of growing and eating hemp seed vastly outweigh any perceived issues of one off implementation costs, unlikely police enforcement consequences and sending mixed messages to consumers about the acceptability and safety of Cannabis.

FSANZ’s fact based approach to standard setting helps the Food Ministers to vote “YES” and accept their official’s recommendation to approve this variation to the Food Standard.

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The Ministers
Legislative and Government Forum on Food Regulations (The Forum)
Food Standards Australia New Zealand

16 January 2015

Dear Food Minister

Re Application A1039 Low THC hemp foods

As a Minister of the Forum you will shortly be voting on Application A1039 Low THC Hemp Seed Foods.

We encourage you to accept your official’s recommendations and vote “YES” to approve the proposed variation to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Worldwide consumption of hemp foods is growing, as people take advantage of a sustainable source of Omega 3. This new hemp food market is already estimated to be worth $1Billion annually and in some overseas markets they have experienced double digit annual growth for the last 10 years.

There are no reasons to stop our access to hemp foods. The foods are safe and the seeds do not contain THC.

The THC issue is a red herring. Trace amounts of THC can be scientifically measured so there presence needs to be disclosed.

The THC is on the outside of the harvested shell, which comes from low THC crops grown under regulation by licenced growers. Cleaning and processing remove most of these residues but insignificant amounts can remain which can be detected by sophisticated scientific equipment.

This disclosure of THC will help to differentiate low and high THC products. This awareness will give consumers comfort that the minute amounts of THC in hemp foods will not affect them.

The existing marketing and labeling regulations can cope with this new food product.

So the implementing of this variation will follow an established due process; The first stage of which is the approval of this variation.

Health and Nutrition are winners

People around the world are enjoying access to this super food. It has a great balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids which our body does not produce and are therefore required for a healthy balanced diet.

Hemp seed is a great source of important nutrients, especially protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids and many other vitamins & minerals.

The economy and the environment is a winner

Industrial hemp grows in 120 days without pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and works well in a farmer’s rotation. It puts nitrogen back into the soil and is a phytoremediator. The opportunities from a hemp crop are a welcome addition to our primary producers, which will benefit our rural economies.

The combined populations of Australia and New Zealand is over 25 Million, if 0.25% of the population started eating hemp seed regularly at 1kg/month we would require 750,000 tonnes of hemp seed food products. At an average retail price of $40/kg the turnover would be $30 million annually. This is only the initial demand and does not include the export potential for hemp foods.

Officials of the Food Ministry have prepared many reports on this matter (and the previous matter A360 - Use of Industrial hemp as a novel food ) dating back to 1998. Throughout this period the officials have consistently advised their Ministers that hemp seed foods are safe and should be available for human consumption.

In 2015 it is time for this to happen. There are no valid reasons to hold this issue back.

The many positive attributes of growing and eating hemp seed vastly outweigh any perceived issues of one off implementation costs, unlikely police enforcement consequences and sending mixed messages to consumers about the acceptability and safety of Cannabis.

Your fact based approach to standard setting helps you to vote “YES” to your official’s recommendation to accept the variation to the Food Standard.

Yours sincerely
NZHIA

Richard Barge
Treasurer/Secretary
CC All Ministers of the current Forum, Australia New Zealand Food Authority, Canberra and Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Wellington

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