Hemp industry leaders have launched a fundraising campaign in a bid to legalise hemp for pets amid rising anger that bureaucratic red tape could wipe out a once-promising sector of the market.
The Australian Hemp Council (AHC) is looking for A$50,000 to fund application pathways that could enable pet food products to be legally sold and fed to animals, including livestock.
The campaign, called Paws for Wellness, follows a series of unsuccessful discussions with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) as business leaders sought to ease the financial and regulatory burden on the industry.
The APVMA effectively banned the sale of hemp pet products earlier this year, putting jobs and the future of several small businesses at risk.
The AHC said regulators have “dug their heels in”, forcing businesses to bear the burden of costly applications and research permits.
It described the classification of hemp as a ‘veterinary chemical product’ – for which costly registration and testing is required – as alarming and illogical.
“The APVMA’s decision ignores established science, instead lumping these products into a one-size-fits-all position shared with medicinal cannabis and CBD products,” the AHC said.
“Sourced from industrial hemp, these products contain little to no CBD or THC, yet they’re packed with essential amino acids, fibre and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.”
AHC president Tim Schmidt said: “This bureaucratic overreach isn’t just bad for businesses manufacturing hemp products for pets, it’s a blow to the hemp industry as a whole.
“We’re talking about millions of dollars and thousands of hours invested, only to see our efforts sabotaged by poorly researched, blanket regulations. We simply cannot let this stand.”
Efforts to ease the regulations have been led by Dr Bronwyn Blake, chairwoman of the Australian Hemp Council Fodder Group.
She said the hardline approach of the APVMA was “regulatory overkill at its worst”.
“We’re not talking about untested, risky substances, we’re talking about basic nutrition for animals and ingredients that have been investigated and deemed safe overseas,” Blake said.
“We understand the viewpoint of APVMA, but not their processes. They want data, which we have, but there is a huge financial cost attached to having it reviewed.
“The APVMA is an under-resourced government department with 95% of its funding coming from permit and application fees.
“How can they possibly provide an objective and well-researched opinion when they depend on fees like this to keep them afloat?
“It is the responsibility of the federal government to ensure all government departments are adequately resourced, ensuring they spend their time serving Australia rather than themselves.”
Two application pathways will be pursued by the AHC, the first involving a technical assessment by the APVMA of hemp fractions used for sustenance purposes.
A second pathway will see hemp fractions undergo an ingredient determination.
The combined pathways are likely to exceed $50,000, the AHC said.
“If you care about your pet’s health, or if you’re sick of seeing Australian industries crushed by unnecessary red tape, we need your support now,” Blake said. “This isn’t just a fight for hemp. It’s a fight against the relentless creep of bureaucracy that’s putting our farmers and small businesses at risk and denying our animals the nutrition they deserve.”
The APVMA has previously stated that if a product has not been registered by the APVMA or approved for use under permit, “it may not be safe to use in animals… and could be dangerous”.
