On 29 November, iHemp NSW hosted an insightful webinar with Winton from Eco Profit, led by our chair Collin Steady. The session explored one of the most important emerging themes in the hemp industry: carbon traceability from paddock to end product.
By Klara Marosszeky | Managing Director Australian Hemp Masonry Company Over the past few months, we’ve been working with Hemp Central in Wanaka on the South Island of New Zealand and Venture Taranaki on the North Island to deliver training for hemp builders, owner builders and community. It’s the second practical workshop organised by Tanya Simmonds in Wanaka in the past 2 years and the Taranaki workshops have been the culmination of months of conversations following various Hemp industry events in Australia over the last year and a half. We’d trained a few builders from New Zealand who’ve come over to Australia for workshops and supplied a few houses over there in the past, but at that time there was no suitable building-grade hurd available in New Zealand. That’s changed dramatically over the past few years. With farming becoming more regionalised, Ashford processors now in both locations and with more builders getting trained, a small solid hemp building industry is being established. Given our long-term interest in supporting capability in Indigenous communities, it’s been very rewarding to work alongside Venture Taranaki as they build the capacity in their community to address their social housing needs. Community members from other neighbouring Maori groups visited and attended the Taranaki workshops. We’ll continue to support their emerging trainers until they are well underway, and our input is no longer needed. “We have the same interest in building capability in Aboriginal communities and hope some similar opportunities emerge,” says Klara.
Northern Rivers, NSW — Innovative hemp construction company Otetto has successfully completed the installation of its Living Canvas prefabricated hempcrete panel system on a new home in the Northern Rivers region — with the entire structure assembled in just four days. The project features Otetto’s house design, the Mulloway, currently the company’s most adaptable and flexible model, designed to suit a wide range of sites, climates, and lifestyles. This milestone demonstrates how prefabricated hempcrete systems can dramatically accelerate build times while maintaining outstanding thermal, acoustic, and environmental performance. The Living Canvas panels were designed and manufactured off-site, then craned into place with precision — resulting in a clean, efficient, and low-impact construction process. “This build really shows what’s possible when innovation, sustainability, and good design come together,” said Harrison Marsh from Otetto. “To see a full home structure completed within four days using Australian-grown hemp materials is a big step forward for the industry.” The success of the project highlights the growing momentum behind industrial hemp as a practical, sustainable building material — one that supports regional industries, reduces carbon emissions, and promotes healthier living environments. For more information about Otetto’s Living Canvas system and the Mulloway design, visit otetto.au
The NSW Hemp Industry Taskforce’s 2024 recommendations aimed to modernise and strengthen the state’s hemp sector by promoting innovation, flexibility, and clearer regulation for growers. However, after reviewing the Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) updated hemp framework and Licence Manual released in September 2025, Taskforce member Crystal White, Director of Northern Rivers Hemp, found that many of these key recommendations have not been implemented. While the Taskforce proposed a more enabling and forward-thinking approach, the new framework continues to focus largely on compliance and enforcement. A clear example is the missed opportunity to introduce a licence category for environmental remediation. This reform would have recognised hemp’s ability to improve soil health, capture carbon, and support sustainable land rehabilitation. Despite its environmental and economic potential, the initiative was not included in the new framework. Crystal has since contacted Jeremy Buckingham MLC, who has shown ongoing support for hemp industry reform, and expects he will raise the matter with Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty for further consideration. The comparison report shows that many of the Taskforce’s practical, industry-driven reforms- such as flexibility for crop testing, streamlined licensing, and recognition of new hemp applications—remain unaddressed. “A more collaborative and forward-thinking approach is needed if we want to see the NSW hemp industry reach its full potential,” Crystal said.
Hemp Collective Face Serum Glow & Calm Face Serum Most recent customer review: I’ve been using the Glow & Calm Serum and Botanic Glow Face Oil for just over a week, and my skin has never looked better. I have cystic acne, combination dry skin, and I’m in my 40s—so most acne products aren’t quite right for me. After the first serum application, my skin looked amazing, and even my partner noticed. That night, a painful cyst started forming, but by morning it had almost vanished, my skin felt soft, and a stubborn dry patch on my cheek had disappeared. Over the next few days, more dry patches cleared, revealing calm, healthy skin instead of the usual irritation. I alternated between the serum and oil, both of which glide on beautifully and smell incredible. I’d feared oil might cause breakouts, but instead it reduced inflammation, soothed dryness, and left my skin silky smooth—something I’ve never experienced before. After nearly two weeks, I tried my old moisturiser again. The next day, I had two cysts, an erupted pimple, enlarged pores, and that awful dry-yet-greasy feeling. Why go back when your products give me truly amazing skin? These facial products are an absolute winner—hugely impressed!” Verified Customer – Mel Visit Hemp Collective.
By John Muir, Agronomist | August 2025 The iHemp NSW Field Trip on September 11, 2024, visited the University of Sydney’s Narrabri Research Station and a cotton farm in Moree as part of the annual winter crop field day. Among the many crops on display, hemp emerged as a standout feature for the 300 guests in both field observations and presentations. Included in one of Narrabri’s many alternate winter species dryland cover crop projects, hemp had been sown in addition to the AgriFutures summer sown irrigated crop variety trials. Traditionally a summer crop, hemp often struggles to establish in high air/soil summer temperatures. Recognising this, Professor Guy Roth, Director of Northern Agriculture from the Sydney Institute of Agriculture, extended sowing dates into winter – and the results were surprising.As part of the broader winter green manure /cover cropping program preceding dryland summer cotton, the trial featured a mix of cereals, brassicas, legumes, and hemp. All crops were sown no-till, into 5 tonnes per hectare of wheat stubble on June 22. Around three months later, on September 11 – following a frosty winter – the field day showcased an unexpected standout leader: hemp. By 60 days after sowing, the HFA Ruby variety had reached mid-flowering, stood approximately 0.75 meters tall, and had achieved an estimated biomass of 3 tonnes per hectare. Hemp’s frost tolerance in its vegetative stage proved advantageous. As long as flowering occurs after the winter frost, hemp can fill and finish, just like a winter crops, into spring and completing grain fill before the hot, dry summer sets in. The trial yielded over 500 kg/ha of grain, despite a significant portion of seed shattering prior to harvest. Like canola, hemp is indeterminate and tends to have uneven maturity, making timely harvest critical. Even with some losses, at a market price of $3,000 per tonne, the return equated to approximately $1,500/ha. This result is just the beginning. With further improvements in genetics, agronomy, and environmental understanding, the potential for winter-sown hemp in southern Australia is immense. And new trials are already in this year including dryland winter commercial crops in NSW to South Australia. Further Information: For additional insights, refer to the April 2024 extract of a presentation at Australian Industrial Hemp Conference, written by John Muir, Polish breeder of Henola and Don Telfer DPIRD WA, and AgriFutures Knowledge Hub.
By Dr Maggie Davidson MAIOH, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Health & Occupation Hygiene, School of Science, Western Sydney University. Farming is one of the most hazardous jobs. Farmers often live where they work, so there’s little time for rest — especially for their lungs. While accidents are common, long-term health risks from dust, noise, and chemicals often get overlooked. In hemp processing, dust and noise are big issues. But we still know very little about how much dust and noise are actually produced, or which tasks cause the most exposure. This information is important because it helps us find better ways to protect processors, farmers and workers and prevent serious health problems. Organic dust from hemp can cause serious lung issues. Inhaling a lot of dust can lead to: Airway irritation and allergies Byssinosis (“Monday morning fever”) Farmers’ lung (hypersensitivity pneumonitis) Chronic bronchitis What We Did From January to March 2025, we visited hemp processors to observe the work environment and measure dust and noise levels. We took dust samples from the air around workers during different jobs like loading machines, bagging products, cleaning, and maintenance. Dust particles we measured were tiny — less than one-tenth the width of a human hair — meaning they can easily reach deep into the lungs. Key Findings Dust levels peaked at 1.0 to 3.0 mg/m³ during dry sweeping and using air blowers. Loading hammer mills and decorticators produced 0.5 to 1.0 mg/m³ of dust. Safe Work Australia sets the exposure limit at 1.0 mg/m³ over an 8-hour shift. So, sweeping and blowing created dangerous levels. Some dust contained respirable silica, which can cause severe lung disease. Levels reached up to 0.045 mg/m³, close to the legal limit of 0.05 mg/m³. Biggest Risk Areas Loading hammer mills and decorticators Cleaning dust filtration systems Using blowers and dry sweeping What Needs to Change To protect workers: Stop using blowers and dry sweeping immediately — they create the most dust. Use wet cleaning methods and HEPA H-Class vacuums (AS/NZS 60335.2.69 standard). Apply the Hierarchy of Controls: Eliminate/Substitute: Only buy clean, quality hemp with no mould, dust, or contamination. Engineering/Isolation: Install barriers and dust extraction systems to trap dust before it spreads. Administrative Controls: Schedule regular cleaning and machine maintenance. Ban sweeping and air blowers. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Supply and train workers to properly use Class 2 or 3 respirators, fitted and tested for the right protection. Where to Find Help Safe Work Australia has excellent free resources: Managing Work Health and Safety Risks Managing Hazardous Chemicals Preventing Hearing Loss at Work What’s Next We are working with hemp processors to develop dust and noise management plans. We’ll revisit them in 2025–2026 to see how improvements are going and share updates at industry events later in 2025. Thank You A huge thanks to the farmers, businesses, and partners who welcomed us. Special thanks to the AIOH Foundation and Western Sydney University for funding this important work.
By Connie Minos, iHemp NSW Executive Officer Director, Ashford Hemp Industries. What a wet month we’ve had impacting on so many of us. It’s been a relief to hear that many farmers have been able to get their hemp crops harvested and off the field. I’m sure there are many others who weren’t so lucky. Over the last few months, I have spoken to a number of farmers either experienced in growing hemp or just considering hemp as an alternative crop option for soil regeneration and income diversification. For several years Ashford Hemp Industries have had challenges in meeting hurd orders due to a limited, quality supply of retted hemp. Thankfully this turned around for us over the past year and our production line has been working steadily. While the increase in the number of people growing, or wanting to grow hemp, is an encouraging sign in this industry, it does not come without a warning. While those of us in the know clearly understand the benefits of building with hemp, the harsh reality is there is a slump in the building industry and hemp building has not avoided costly delays and a reduction in new builds. To avoid damaging our hemp farming industry we must ensure that there is a clear understanding of where the market is at before choosing to take on hemp growing, which is neither cheap nor easy. Ideally, we can build up our farming network in coordination with processing facilities across the state, while simultaneously developing the building industry to ensure the quality of hemp is maintained, and that the supply chain keeps moving to the benefit of all players. As always, effective communication is the key, and accessing the supports available through iHemp NSW and other sources is a great place to start.
YOUR INVITED TO A Meeting to discuss the formation of an Industrial Hemp Hub for the NSW Central West When: Friday 22 November (11:00am and finish around 3:00pm) Where: WSU Transition Hub (corner of Mort & Bridge Streets, Lithgow) What: a two-part meeting to discuss: what an Industrial Hemp Hub is and would do in the region (11:00-12:30pm) an overview and feedback on known opportunities and interests in the Lithgow and Central Western Region (1:30-3:00pm).As part of the workshop, participants will visit the Lithgow Women’s Shed, a beautiful hempcrete build in progress. Background Who suggested this meeting? John Muir is working with Ken Dodds as part of a new CRC-P (Cooperative Research Centre) funded by the Federal Government and REVOX (a private company with links to Melbourne University). They are looking at recycling materials to mix with hemp and identify ‘hubs’ within regional rural communities with enough like-minded individuals, who would be willing to share resources and experience to create working supply chains that grow and supply a range of industrial hemp products. Why Lithgow? Lithgow is now home to one of the larger public buildings constructed with hempcrete. It’s s a region where local government is highly focused on regional development (including agriculture) as the area transitions away from coal. This makes it potentially eligible for transition funding once the State Government releases its program of Transition Authorities for regions like ours. Lithgow Transition Hub (Western Sydney University) A series of workshops will be hosted in Lithgow in February as part of an academic research program aimed at generated a ‘social-license’ for growing and manufacturing products from industrial hemp. That program will be led by Prof Neil Perry (WSU) with Prof Louise Crabtree (WSU), Dr Stephen Heally (WSU) and Dr Michelle Zeibots (UTS). This November meeting is being approached as an opportunity to scope the content, structure and discussion points for the more detailed workshops in February. If you would like to attend, please contact: Dr Michelle Zeibots MPIA CILT Senior Lecturer (Transport) School of Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology University of Technology Sydney M. 0408 437 687 PO Box 123 Broadway NSW 2007 Australia
Murray Industrial Hemp Launches Seed Funding Opportunity October 10th, 2024 Murray Industrial Hemp P/L (MIH), an innovative leader in sustainable hemp cultivation and industrial building products, is excited to announce the launch of its Seed Funding Investment Memorandum. This investment opportunity marks a significant step in the MIH journey to expand its operations and enhance its impact in the rapidly growing industrial hemp market. MIH is inviting strategic investors to join its mission to transform the industrial hemp industry by participating in its seed funding round. The funds raised will be allocated to building business infrastructure, covering initial startup operational expenses, expanding a strong grower network, advancing a seed breeding program, partnering with an industry-leading carbon accounting firm and driving market growth. Key Investment Highlights: • Sustainable Agriculture Focus: MIH is committed to developing a strong grower base through innovative hemp production techniques that support sustainable agriculture. • Growth Potential: With a strong network of strategic partnerships, including collaborations with established local and overseas hemp companies, and research institutions, MIH is well-positioned to scale rapidly in a sector experiencing exponential growth. • Community-Centric Approach: MIH is dedicated to providing long-term benefits to local communities through job creation and environmentally sustainable practices. “We are at the forefront of a transformative moment in the hemp industry, providing opportunities to shorten the value chain by focusing on delivering sustainable building products,” said Project Lead Leigh Fletcher, of Murray Industrial Hemp P/L. “This seed funding round will accelerate our growth and innovation efforts, allowing us to expand operations, develop advanced hemp technologies, and explore new markets.” Prospective investors can access the condensed Investment Memorandum here or contact Leigh Fletcher of the MIH Investment Team info@murrayindustrialhemp.com.au or call 0429 144 743.
