The Liberal Government has a vision of growing the value of our agricultural produce ten-fold by 2050 to create many more jobs in Tasmania.
To achieve Agrivision 2050, we must encourage all our primary industry sectors to achieve their full potential, and we must help to overcome the obstacles that they face.
That's why the Liberal Government is taking action to assist Tasmania's fledgling industrial hemp industry to grow.
We have directed AgriGrowth Tasmania, the body we established with a charter of promoting growth in agriculture, to develop options for cutting red tape and simplifying the regulation of the industrial hemp industry.
This work will involve coordinating a Government response to the 2012-13 House of Assembly inquiry into the industrial hemp industry, which I was pleased to have participated in as an advocate of this promising sector.
AgriGrowth Tasmania is to provide a report to me within three months.
Today, I have also released revised guidelines for the production of industrial hemp in Tasmania, which is important information for prospective growers, but we believe there is much scope to further reduce the regulatory burden on farmers.
The Liberal Government supports sensible regulation that allows this industry, which has actually existed in Tasmania since 1991, to achieve its potential.
We also support the use of industrial hemp products in food as it would open up new markets for the industry and will continue to lobby strongly for federal approval.
We will continue to work closely with the Industrial Hemp Association of Tasmania and also the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association to deliver positive outcomes.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Primary Industries and Water