OUR HISTORY

Pioneering Hemp in New Zealand

 

For over 5,000 years, hemp has been used for textiles, paper, building materials, fuel, food and personal care products. Hemp is grown all over the world with little or no chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides & is used to make all kinds of consumer products, from clothing to house wares, natural cosmetics, even a car!

We have been championing and growing hemp for a long time. We have been a key part of the regulatory changes that have been made by the government, and the first in New Zealand to produce Hemp Foods (since 2012, exporting these products across the globe).

From the planted seed to the final product, quality and traceability can be accounted for at every stage, because not only do we grow hemp locally in New Zealand, we have a modern purpose built seed processing and oil extraction facility, using cutting edge process to ensure maximum quality is achieved.

Not only have we been doing this for a long time, we are also one of the largest producers of hemp seed in the southern hemisphere. We have not only enacted change in the hemp industry, we will continue to push the industry forward to meet its potential.

 

A Detailed History of Hemp 

 

2013

 

  • Mar – Successful Hemp Harvest completed
  • April – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Oil Seed Extractions Ltd Approved Cultivar Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon12

 

2012

 

  • January – new hemisphere website upgraded to allow purchases direct from the website
  • February – OSE apply for approval to supply H2000 stores.
  • March – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Oil Seed Extractions Ltd Approved Cultivar Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon12
  • April – OSE new hemisphere Hemp Seed Products approved by H2000 Product Assessment Board to supply H2000 stores.
  • May – First production of Hemp Protein for Export
  • May – Oil Seed Extractions attains NZFSA Food Safety Programme Certification
  • May – Midlands Seed attains Asure Quality Food Safety and HACCP Programme Certification
  • Sept – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Ltd – Approved cultivars – Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon 12
  • Sept – Research and Breeding Licence granted to Midlands Seed Ltd, Non approved cultivars – Felina32/Epsilon68/Futura75
  • Oct – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Research Farm – Approved cultivars – Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon 12
  • Nov – First trial production Hulled Hemp Seed
  • Dec – FSANZ reviewed Low THC Hemp as a Food and have asked for a further review with the Standing Council on Police and Emergency Services. This was reviewed in late October 2013.

2011

 

  • January –  General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Oil Seed Extractions Ltd – Approved Cultivar Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon12
  • March – Oil Seed Extractions Ltd & Midlands Seed Ltd submit public comment to FSANZ to support A1039 Low THC Hemp as a Food.
  • May – Oil Seed Extractions attains NZFSA Food Safety Programme Certification
  • May – Midland Seed Ltd attains Asure Quality Food Safety Programme Certification
  • November –  FSANZ complete the assessment of the A1039 application & public comments submitted in support of low THC Hemp as a Food.
  • December – FSANZ sort further public comment on the application A1039 Low THC Hemp as a Food a timeline has been put in place by FSANZ for the board to complete approval of A1039 Low THC Hemp as a Food by late October 2012.
  • December – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Ltd – Approved cultivars – Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon 12

2010

 

  • January – Midlands Seed Ltd apply to Ministry of Health for Approval of Cultivar of Industrial Hemp Fedora17
  • March – Ministry of Health Medicines Control Approve Cultivar of Industrial Hemp Fedora17
  • March – New Zealand Gazette No.32 Approved Cultivar of Industrial Hemp Fedora 17
  • June – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Ltd Approved Cultivars Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon12
  • August – OSE appoints Brand Manager for new hemisphere™
  • August – OSE releases Hemp Seed Oil Capsules under the new hemisphere™ brand
  • OSE offers new hemisphere products to the Trade Me audience
  • October – Ministry of Health Medicines Control Approve Cultivar of Industrial Hemp Ferimon12
  • October – New Zealand Gazette No.152, page 3672 Approved Cultivar of Industrial Hemp Ferimon12
  • Oct/November – Appoint overseas distributor for the Japanese Supplement Market.
  • November – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Oil Seed Extractions Ltd Approved Cultivar Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon12
  • November – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Ltd Approved Cultivars – Finola/USO31/Fedora17/Fasamo/Ferimon12
  • A1039 Low THC Hemp as Food Assessments completed with FSANZ (Food Standards Australia & New Zealand)
  • December 2010 – Marketable launches revised new hemisphere™ website www.nzhempoil.co.nz

2009

 

  • February – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Oil Seed Extractions Ltd Approved Cultivar Fasamo/Finola
  • February – Marketable launches the new hemisphere™ website www.nzhempoil.co.nz
  • August – Research & Breeding Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Ltd Approved Cultivars – Fasamo/USO31 Non Approved Cultivars – Epsilon68/ Felina32/ Futura75/ Fedora17/ Ferimon12 & Santhica27
  • August – Midlands Seed apply to Ministry of Health for Approval of Cultivar of Industrial Hemp Ferimon12

2008

 

  • September 2008 – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Oil Seed Extractions Ltd Approved Cultivar Fasamo
  • September 2008 – Administration and management of the new hemisphere™ Hemp Seed Oil brand returns to OSE

2007

 

  • February – General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Oil Seed Extractions Ltd Approved Cultivar Fasamo
  • February – Midlands Seed hosts Industrial Hemp Field Day which was sponsored by National Bank of NZ Ltd & Sustainable Hemp Co-Operative Research Sponsors: Oil Seed Extractions Ltd, Midlands Seed, FAR, Biopolymer Network, new hemisphere, PPCS Limited, Plant Research (NZ) Ltd, Winslow Feed Ltd.
  • December – General & Research & Breeding Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Ltd Approved Cultivars – Fasamo/USO31 Non Approved Cultivars – Epsilon68/ Felina32/ Futura75/ Fedora17/ Ferimon12 & Santhica27

2006

 

  • February – Administration and management of the new hemisphere™ Hemp Seed Oil brand shifts from Oil Seed Extractions to New Horizons/NZFC in Auckland.
  • new hemisphere™ exhibits Hemp Seed Oil at the Auckland Food Show.
  • August – Industrial hemp is now legal to grow under licence in New Zealand following the 1 August release of the Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Regulations 2006 and the misuse of Drugs Amendment Regulations 2006.
  • August – Finola, USO31 & Fasamo Cultivars approved by Ministry of Health Medicines Control.
  • November General Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Approved Cultivars – USO31
  • December – Research & Breeding Industrial Hemp Licence granted to Midlands Seed Cultivars Aotearoa1/ Benico/ Epsiolon68/ Fedora17/ Feina32 / Ferimon/ Futura75 & Santhica27

2005

 

  • August – Sustainable Seed Oils™ brand for Hemp Seed oil is changed to new hemisphere™.
  • October – Australian and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (ANZFRMC) again ignored the A360 recommendation and maintain prohibition of hemp seed foods in NZ and Australia. Vote was 4 for 5 against, with the major concern being that condoning hemp seed food would send mixed messages to children.

2002

 

  • January – Oil Seed Extractions Ltd releases Hemp Seed Oil under the brand Sustainable Seed Oils™ to the New Zealand market
  • February/March – First Industrial Hemp THC testing takes place.
  • March/April – Midlands Seed completes first Hemp Seed harvest.
  • the use of Cannabis spp. in food and the establishment of maximum levels for THC in specified foods.
  • Late 2002 – Australian and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (ANZFRMC) ignores A360 recommendation and maintains prohibition of hemp seed oil and foods in NZ and Australia.
  • 20 December – Food Standards Code established and exemption granted to hemp oil for sale in New Zealand.

2001

 

  • April – Minister of Health announces Ministry of Health is accepting applications to be licensed to grow Industrial Hemp.
  • September – Midlands Seed is granted 1 of the 11 licenses issued by Medsafe to grow Industrial Hemp Seed.
  • 2001/2002 – A360 Food Safety Assessment Report completed for the sale of hemp seed as a food. The recommendation from the Final Assessment Report is removal of the total prohibition on 
  • 2001-2005 – Ongoing establishment of regulatory framework for NZ Industrial hemp and continual extensions of trial protocols

2000

 

  • June – The moratorium imposed on the issuing of licences to grow industrial hemp by the National Government in 1994 was lifted on the 20th June 2000.
  • August – First Inter-Agency Meeting on Cultivation of Industrial Hemp with Government Subcommittee.
  • December – In essence the Sub Committees recommendations are: that the emphasis should change to on whereby any organisation that can meet the licensing, security and other requirements, including funding the trials, should be allowed to make submissions and become licensed to trial industrial hemp.

1998

 

  • NZHIA publish The 5 Minute Guide to Industrial Hemp in New Zealand.
  • February 1998 – The Government Interagency Working Party first meeting.

1997

 

  • September – Release of Commercial Cultivation Of Cannabis Sativa For Production Of Industrial Hemp Legislative And Security Aspects Of Recent Australian Trials. Dr G R Boyd, Chief Advisor, Regulation and Safety, Ministry of Health, New Zealand.

1994

 

  • National Government place moratorium on the issuing of licenses to grow Industrial Hemp.

     

     

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