Hemp Co-operative Ireland has said that hemp will have to be “as big as winter barley” for the Department of Agriculture to take it seriously.

The co-op’s chair Robert Johnson spoke about the issues facing the sector at the industrial hemp conference hosted by Teagasc on Thursday.

In 2020, the co-op published a briefing document which sought to clarify laws around the growing and transporting of hemp, however, no law change has taken place in Ireland regarding this issue.

Johnson said it is hard to convince “conservative” politicians that hemp is an industrial product, not a drug. “If a farmer grew hemp and wanted it processed across the street, technically they can be prosecuted under the Misuse of Drugs Act.”

Industrial crop

“This is an industrial crop; it should not be under the offices of the HPRA [Health Products Regulatory Authority].

“We had direct communication with the Department of Agriculture who said to us that until the amount of hemp being put into the ground is as big as winter barley, they are not going to take you seriously.”

Industrial hemp cultivation with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) limits of 0.3% is legal in Ireland, as per EU regulations. Meanwhile, cannabis plants have between 10% and 20% THC levels. Organic farmer Edward Hanbidge also dissuaded rumours that hemp farmers could hide cannabis in their fields.

“You’re not going to grow cannabis in the middle of a hemp field because one would cross-pollinate the other and make it useless. If you wanted to get high off [hemp], you’re going to have to smoke a telephone pole-sized joint.

“If I was to change things, I would bring [hemp] over to the Department of Agriculture where it really should be as an agricultural product. Have them regulate, lease and inspect it.”