Some of the Summit Organising Committee (left) Richard Barge, Greg Ward, Huub Kerckhoffs, Eve Kawana-Brown and Hamish Gow.
Massey University staff have been busy helping to bring together people and companies all over New Zealand to explore the possibilities of industrial hemp.
The inaugural New Zealand industrial hemp summit, held at Mac’s Function Centre in Wellington earlier in July, attracted 250 delegates over the two days, with an additional 50 watching online. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor and officials from the Ministry of Health were also in attendance.
Dr Huub Kerckhoffs, Professor Hamish Gow and business development manager Eve Kawana-Brown were part of the organising committee for the summit, which aimed to provide New Zealand companies, farmers, scientists, funders, politicians and regulators with the information they need to collaboratively develop the NZ industrial hemp economy.
Dr Kerckhoffs says the conference has been a massive success with technology allowing organisers to better connect with attendees.
“The opportunities are there. Hemp fibre applications, hemp food, like seed & oil, are going to present huge future opportunities for New Zealand, and some are about to be realised pending upcoming changes in New Zealand food legislation. There will be also clear niche NZ market opportunities for medicinal cannabinoids.
“Massey has a wide variety of research into hemp-related areas, such as engineering, food technology, chemistry and of course horticulture/agronomy, and have been involved in various industrial hemp trials in the Manawatū.”
Speakers shared local and international knowledge on hemp, identify the local and export opportunities available to companies entering the industry, highlight the barriers to success within the market and develop strategies and relationships that will help the industry to overcome them.
Massey will be looking to host a Science and Technology iHemp Conference at the Manawatu campus in February 2019. Chairman of the iHemp Summit Richard Barge said New Zealand has a fantastic opportunity to create a brand new primary industry based on hemp. “Now is the time for an informed discussion. iHemp is being recognised as a sustainable source of food, fibre and medicine and this creates opportunities for companies to make it part of their future business plan and be part of what is projected by some analysts to be a $NZ75 billion global industry by 2025.”