Hemp – the word probably reminds you of some kind of essential oil being sold at the farmers’ market, or perhaps a popular recreational drug.

But what if I told you that it could be your future – and perhaps that it could even contribute to saving the planet?

Steve Tiley, CEO of Townsville based Wandarra, and the team are passionate about the adoption of industrial hemp and growing the Australian hemp market.

“Everyone needs to know that when we grow industrial hemp, we’re licensed by the Queensland Government to grow the hemp with less than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In recreational and medical marijuana, there is 18% to 30% THC, so it’s quite the distinction,” he said.

THC is the psychoactive component that makes marijuana an addictive substance – and with such a low percentage of it in hemp, it’s hardly a party favour.

So how is Wandarra changing up the Australian hemp industry?

“The current hemp market in Australia is very small – and it’s mainly driven by food,” said Steve.

“We know that we’ve got all these homes to build – there’s a shortage of timber, so we’re really going to focus on using hemp to create sustainable building products.”

Of course, hemp isn’t just a ‘one-trick pony’. Wandarra envisages that in a few years, hemp will also be used to help local food systems by diversifying their soil systems, as well as creating more jobs and revenue sources, as the hemp industry expands.

“We’re not using hemp alone – we have bananas, sugarcane, and pineapple, and we can utilise these a lot better,” Steve said.

That’s why Wandarra is working towards a collaborative partnership with FIBOSCPA. This will be mutually beneficial – our company has the machinery and expertise to process waste like pineapple leaf fibre (PALF), banana leaf fibre (BALF), as well as sugarcane.

So, what is Wandarra and FIBOSCPA’s goal together?

“Our vision together is to reinvent and research hemp, its uses, and really get back to its origins. There was hemp rope – hemp was a big part of the economy in building America – so we’re going to go back to that, while applying modern engineering and material sciences,” said Steve.

Ultimately, our companies both want to create a more sustainable future, and hemp is just one step towards that.

What do you think of hemp? Leave your thoughts in the comments.