NZHIA puts hemp seed food issue on the TV3 news
TV3 recently visited Penny Young, NZHIA Secretary at her hemp farm in Hunna, South Auckland http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/growers-push-to-relax-restrictions-on-hemp-2015032817
New Zealand industry and government want access to hemp foods, but as we share food safety standards with Australia we were outvoted in the FSANZ, meeting on 30 Jan 2015.
Our Food Safety Minister, Jo Goodhew voted yes, but the Australians have 9 votes and have decided to reject the Application.
The Forum of Food Ministers representing FSANZ require further work to be done on the issues they have identified (see their official communique at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/foodsecretariat-communiqu%C3%A9s-15_30Jan)
Hon Jo Goodhew says “I can certainly understand why people wanting to grow it, people wanting to consume it who know that it is safe, I can understand why they’re impatient to get on with it,”
Good for the NZHIA
This was also a great opportunity to promote the restarted NZHIA and the April meeting with the Ministries of Health and Primary Industries.
The Executive are excited that the new Membership year has started on 1 April 2015. Our next step is raise our profile and contacting people involved in the industry to invite them to join.
If you would like to be part of the restarted hemp association and help us represent the industry, please go to the website https://nzhia.com/about-nzhia/join-the-nzhia/