INTERVIEW

RICHARD BARGE hemp good to grow!

Saying ‘no to ‘drugs’ should not stop New Zealand experiencing fresh growth of what could be a key crop for the Twenty-first Century. Recently, JON RAWLINSON spoke with former Flat Bush local, Richard Barge, about how hemp could well serve to satisfy a growing need for ‘weed’.

Although industrial hemp is not grown for psychotropic or even medicinal purposes, its fate has long been tied (with red tape) to cannabis. In the 1930s, media mogul William Randolph Hearst launched the first salvos in a ‘war on drugs’ – the fact that his family had major interests in the timber industry, and that hemp makes great paper, is considered a coincidence by some and the basis of a conspiracy by others.

Today, the hemp industry still has a love/hate relationship with governments. It now ticks boxes government is keen to fill, as it encourages diversification in the primary industries: sustainability and added value.

“With a growing demand from consumers in sustainable products and the Government’s interest in [protecting] the environment, things are changing. It’s an exciting time for the industry due to demand and interest in diversification,” says Richard Barge from the NZ Hemp Industries Association (NZHIA).

In New Zealand, the plant can be grown for seed, fibre and horticultural purposes, however, regulations remain. “The Ministry of Health continues to treat us as though we’re producing a drug, Richard says. “It’s very frustrating. It comes down to the single molecule argument – if there’s even just one molecule of THC in hemp, then it can be treated as a drug.

“No one can measure zero molecules, let alone guarantee it, so it’s a nonsense. I think we’ll look back and say: ‘what was all the fuss about?’”

From its fibre (stalks, leaves and roots) to its seeds, hemp is a versatile crop. As its fibre can filter out UV light and has antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antistatic properties, it is becoming an attractive material for manufacturers worldwide.

“What can’t it do?” Richard laughs. “Hemp can meet a range of needs, it can feed, house and clothe people. It can be used in biofuel, made into clothing that doesn’t wear out [as fast as other materials], paper, [a substitute for] carbon fibre, and cladding and insulation for construction.

“Rudolf Diesel [inventor of the diesel engine] designed his cars to run

“Hemp can meet a range of needs, it can feed, house and clothe people. It can be made into clothing that doesn’t wear out [as fast as other materials], paper, [a substitute for] carbon fibre, and cladding and insulation for construction. It can also be used in biofuel.”

from vegetable oil, and Henry Ford built a car made from plant fibres with an engine running on hempethanol. We are still finding new uses, but it’s not a new crop at all.”

Hemp seed oil is employed in ‘health and wellness’ products due to its nutritional value, however Richard asserts that the NZHIA is not involved in cultivation for medicinal purposes.

“The industrial hemp industry is completely different from the medicinal one. We don’t represent anyone growing for medicinal purposes,” he confirms. “There’s a big demand for nutraceutical products made from hemp [with] huge export potential, which could provide cashflow for the rest of the industry. At the moment, New Zealanders only have access to food from the seeds; the next step is cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes, which are found in the leaves and the flowers.”

While Richard’s old stomping ground of east Auckland is unlikely to see fields of hemp dominate the landscape, the former Pakuranga College student says research and test crops suggest it could be well suited to rural southern Auckland. “The infrastructure is there, but compliance issues are putting growers off. These are no major barriers to the industry developing, it’s more a case of ‘oh, man, I don’t want to have to deal with the Government any more than I have to!’

Richard Barge

“As the growing time is a few months, or less in some cases, it is ideal as a rotation crop. It can help clean and condition soil, aerating it and lifting heavy metals out of the ground, getting it back into a good state for crop production.” As revealed by the pandemic, this long-time east Aucklander says our primary industries are as vital as ever to NZ’s economy; they must progress or be left behind.

“The pandemic has prevented us from developing the industry and identifying new markets. Because it’s a raw material, it’s essential for us to raise awareness of how hemp can be used,” he maintains. “We have plenty of skilled growers, now we need to develop more varieties specific to the end uses. There’s plenty of work to be done, but we’re making progress.”