FARMER GETS DOPEY CALLS OVER HEMP CROP

The grower of Manawatu's first hemp crop continues to get phone calls from
people associating the plant with marijuana. But Bulls farmer Hew Dalrymple
said the "strange" phone calls would not put him off planting another crop
next year.

The first industrial hemp crop to be grown in Manawatu will be harvested at
the end of February, with the seed then pressed for oil.

When it became public knowledge in July last year that Mr Dalrymple would
plant the 4ha hemp crop - under tight security and at a secret location -
he got a few funny comments and unusual phone calls.

"Luckily my wife answered the phone most of the time and I made sure I
didn't ring them back," he joked.

It was inevitable that some people might confuse the industrial hemp crop
with the illegal marijuana plant, but apart from the phone calls, Mr
Dalrymple has had no other problems.

The industrial hemp cannot be made into drugs because levels of the
chemical delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are too low.

As well as hemp oil, the fibre is used for clothing and also as a
substitute for fibreglass.

Mr Dalrymple said hemp had been the easiest crop he had grown as it did not
require maintenance or chemicals. The tallest plants were around 1.5m tall
and would continue to grow before harvest.

"We just prepared the land, drilled the seed and let it go. It's a good
organic crop."

A problem with the quality of the seed meant there would not be a big
yield, but the problem had since been identified.

"The seed had a lack of vigour, which resulted in a patchy crop, with some
areas thriving and others not," he said.

"I don't want to be known as a one-crop wonder."

It is possible to harvest one tonne of seed per hectare, from which about
200 litres of oil can be pressed.

A special press has been imported from Europe to press the seeds. The seed
shells, which are high in protein, can be used for stock-feed and cooking.