There has been a recent surge of interest in hemp production globally. Industrial hemp can be legally grown in Ireland under licence from the Department of Health for a range of uses, including fibre, food and feed. The varieties of hemp permitted are
listed in the EU’s ‘Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species’. Industrial hemp is pretty much the same as cannabis, but without the narcotic effects of the active ingredient — tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This may not exceed 0.2% in
industrial plants. The hemp industry has been slow to take off in Ireland due largely to a lack of processing infrastructure.
