Australia to Legalize Hemp as Food Source

After years of trying to define hemp as a nutritional supplement, hemp food products will finally be allowed to be sold in Australia and New Zealand.

The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation approved the idea of low-THC hemp as a food source after a Swinberne University of Technology study showed that “highly unlikely that consumption of food products containing the levels of THC tested would result in any positive tests on oral fluid, blood or urine.” The battle for legalizing hemp seeds as a food product goes back as far as 2002. In the past, there was concern that those who ate hemp products would then test positively for THC at roadside tests. Of course, myths like this have since been debunked.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), who submitted the proposal to the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, has noted that hemp seeds contain a myriad of “protein, vitamins, minerals and polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids.” This was not the first time that FSANZ has submitted a proposal for legalizing hemp seeds as food source.

The new availability to market hemp as a food product is expected to bring more jobs to the two countries, as well as strengthen and enlarge the market for companies like Hemp Food Australia, which already grows and markets hemp as a food product in other countries, but could not sell it in their own country. Hemp Food Australia has announced its search for qualified employees to add to their team, including the search for a production manager with previous experience in Manitoba and Canada. “In addition to added job opportunities for Australia’s farming industry, this is a very positive step towards more sustainable farming in Australia,” said Paul Benhaim, founder of Hemp Foods Australia.

To get around current law, hemp oil and seeds are often sold at health food shops in Australia and New Zealand as body scrub and oil ingredients. Hemp is currently grown in Australia and New Zealand under strict licensing agreements as a fiber for clothing and building products.