Industrial hemp crop trial in the Wheatbelt

July 03, 2019 at 11:34 AM

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Regenerative food and agriculture group, Wide Open Agriculture Ltd (WOA) has planted industrial hemp in their smart shade house located at Arthur River, one of the first to be grown under protected cropping conditions in Western Australia. 

WOA’s Growing Program will trial three industrial hemp varieties at its fully-automated smart shade house to determine growth rates in winter conditions in the Wheatbelt climate. The Group has been granted a licence by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. 

“This program is an exciting opportunity because the shade house will allow us to grow industrial hemp in a highly controlled environment, eliminating key climate risks and allowing testing to continue throughout the year”. Said WOA Managing Director, Dr Ben Cole. 

WOA will trial both regenerative and organic inputs for the production of industrial hemp at the shade house. The Company’s vertically integrated food and agriculture business comprises farmland assets, protected cropping and a food brand, Food for ReasonsTM

WOA is planning to expand by building a second, larger 2 hectare shade house, which will be in production by 2020. New products to the WA retail market in the form of beef and falafel snack products are due to be released midyear. The meat products plan comes after WOA and Blackwood Valley Beef at Boyup Brook formed a partnership. Falafel will be made from lupins grown on board member Stuart McAlpine’s Dalwallinu farm. 

For more information visit the WOA website or contact Dr Ben Cole, CEO ben@wideopenagriculture.com.au or 0499 790 206. 

Read the article in The Countryman here.

Image Credit: Wide Open Agriculture Ltd

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