MPI & ACVM
(Ministry of Primary Industries & Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines)
...team have made a shock announcement
banning hemp foods for animal use
WTF?
W
24
hen we heard about the MPI audit into
hemp and animal feed, we thought it
might potentially be a good thing, to
be working with them to develop the animal
feed industry.
At the monthly meeting with MOH they knew
nothing about it, so we agreed to meet with
MOH and MPI in November.
The Government Committee went to
Wellington and met with ACVM and MOH on 21
November and they gave us the shock news.
This triggered a letter to Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
and Hon Damien O'Connor, requesting a
meeting and reinforcing the need to give their
officials clear direction to enable the industry.
On the 26 November, ACVM posted a
Notification document which we responded to
on the 27th with our own press release.
When hemp foods were banned in 2000,
the industry had to fight to retain access to
hemp seed oil, and in 2004 the Government
acknowledged hemp seed oil and confirmed
the legitimate use of iHemp as an animal food,.
At the meeting ACVM told us that hemp had
always been banned and we would need to
seek an exemption, they did not know or care
about the history, just the argument that one
molecule of THC and CBD mean that iHemp is a
controlled drug and can not be used for animal
food.
They cited the risk that any residual
cannabinoids might pose to the quality of
export products into some countries.
This response by ACVM is a complete over