Agronomy and economic benefits of hemp
INDUSTRIAL hemp, or just plain old hemp, is a variety of the cannabis sativa plant species grown specifically for industrial use. Unlike the medical or recreational varieties of the plant, industrial hemp has next to no THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and has been in use for centuries for the manufacturing of paper, rope and textiles. But over the course of the 20th century as synthetic alternatives emerged, hemp’s uses and benefits became under-rated, even maligned.
However, over the last decade hemp has been making a resurgence around the world including Australia, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Kyneton’s Lyn Stephenson. She has been a trailblazer for the Australian hemp industry, is the founder of the Industrial Hemp Association of Victoria and a tireless advocate for the plant's commercial production and use.