Business Central September 2021

46 | Hemp adding value to arable crops T T Sue Russell There has been a shift to higher value crops; where over a smaller area of land, greater return is realised. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Central Hawke’s Bay: Ludlow Farms S imon and Lou White have taken care of the White family mixed cropping, beef and lamb farm since 2007. The 835-ha farm is at Otane, Central Hawkes Bay, and four years ago, the deci- sion was made to explore harvesting hemp oil; driven by an understanding of growing interest from the market in the health benefits derived from Hemp products. While the farm carries prime beef and lamb, the main activity is in arable cropping and Si- mon says, the introduction of Hemp is proving itself in a number of ways. “Last season we undertook our first year of organic certification for our Hemp crop; recognising that this adds value to the oil, milk and seed we grow.” Working with Simon on this joint venture is Isaac Beach, Business Development Manager at KANAPU® and expert when it comes to all things Hemp, and its derivates as a premium culinary food. The mineral rich silt and peat soil at Ludlow Farms is ideal for growing Hemp. Simon says there have been real gains from going into partnership on the production of Hemp with KANAPU®. “Isaac is really clever and two people work- ing head-to-head together, both different but both hard working, has brought about really positive development.” While Simon understands there are a num- ber of Hemp growers globally, the fact that their hemp is grown under NZGAP certifica - tion and organic standards sets it apart. “It’s the way consumers food is grown, that consumers are increasingly seeking, particu- larly as we focus more and more on eating healthy food.” Growing Hemp comes with its challenges, requiring water and specific inputs but Simon says they have quickly learnt what is required. A benefit that comes from growing the crop is its resistance to pests. “There are different varieties too. You can have a dual-purpose crop where seed and fibre are harvested or a shorter growing vari - ety which focusses on seed. We’re focussing on the seed and we have exclusive rights to growing two varieties: (Canda and Joey).” The establishment of a New Zealand Hemp Growers Association is another positive move, signalling that this is a crop that will continue to expand its footprint in New Zealand arable farming. The development of SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures), to meet the stringent standards demanded by organic certification has been crucial to its establishment on the farm. Under the business relationship with KAN- APU®, we have a small team that takes care of all growing and processing of Hemp within Hawkes Bay. In other developments, in terms of the range of crops grown, Simon says there’s been a shift to higher value crops; where over a smaller area of land, greater return is realised. Two challenging growing seasons have pin- pointed to the importance of irrigation. “We have invested in irrigation with everything under centre pivot, using variable rate irrigation controlled by computers. We use probes to take the guess work out of how much water to apply and to meet compliance. The system works back from planned harvesting dates, to ensure plants receive optimum levels of water to deliver the best quality at that time. On the farm’s stocking side, finishing Friesian bulls and lambs remain the main activities. “We have cut back on the bulls and in- creased lamb numbers. We run all lambs on the cropping land to lesson the impact of soil erosion, compaction and degradation of the soil health” Growing a mixture of legumes, grasses and herbs for lamb and beef finishing has resulted in gain and Simon says guiding what is grown are five key principles of soil health. • Soil Armor with crop and residues • Minimizing soil disturbance with no-till and strip tillage • Plant diversity, using legumes, herbs and grasses • Keep living roots in the ground all year • Livestock integration as nutrient spreaders He describes arable cropping as an ‘inter- esting game’. “It takes a lot of risk and planning, a lot of monitoring. All the crops have different regu - lations and compliances, quality and quantity specs.” KANAPU® hemp products are marketed locally in Hawkes Bay and across the country in speciality stores as well as through an on- line shop and a presence at the Hawkes Bay farmers market every Sunday. “Last season we undertook our first year of organic certification for our Hemp crop.”