Industrial hemp is the near-forgotten strain of the cannabis plant, and it’s important to note, that hemp is not marijuana. Wandarra is focused on the production of industrial hemp. Under Australian law industrial hemp must contain less than <1 % Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), possessing low or no concentrations of the active chemicals that give the narcotic and medicinal products their potency.

To grow and process industrial Hemp Wandarra is Licenced by Biosecurity Queensland. Under the regulations we have a number of reporting & compliance issues. Our contract growers must also hold a growers license. Wandarra is applying for a research License.

No, while the world agriculture land and food security is under threat and at capacity Hemp is an ideal rotational crop that can be grown out of season. Primary production will take place with sugar, cotton and other broadacre cropping across North Queensland.

The production and value adding of industrial hemp in North Queensland delivers a new agri-food sector into the region. Hemp cropping provides another broad acre rotational cropping option for the region’s existing irrigated and non-irrigated operations. Overseas experience tells us that Wandarra will need to invest into critical infrastructure, processing and manufacturing equipment. This means that a highly skilled workforce will have to grow and develop with the company.

Hemp sequesters more carbon per growth cycle than just about any other crop. It improves soil health, is water-loving, but water-efficient, and can be harvested in less than four months. Hemp relies less on pesticides than most other arable crops and can be grown organically. Rotational hemp crops will help reduce nutrient run-off into inland waterways and The Great Barrier Reef. The stability of products made from hemp biomass means that once their carbon content is permanently locked in – that is where it stays. It is not released as carbon dioxide or methane.
NITROGEN overload is also a big issues in the region and Wandara hemp is a developing solution.

Wandarra is a technology-driven small to medium enterprise SME with access to hemp processing and manufacturing technological innovations from around the world. An embedded Research and Development culture, linked to technical collaboration, ensures the smart use of technology, including automation, energy use, plant nutrition, and water efficiency. All data collection is linked to information and communication technology (ICT) platforms.

Industrial hemp growing was deregulated nationally in the early 2000’s. Hemp food consumption was deregulated nationally in 2017, enabling Australia to participate in the global market. Wandarra has based its business model on successful Canadian and USA enterprises and has sought out hemp industry leaders to advise a strategy. Wandarra already has in place global network of off-take partners, technology/equipment suppliers, researchers, and product manufacturers to ensure its strategy management processes and systems are embedded before the trucks of material are ready to roll from farmers’ fields to the processing mills.