As part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, Precision Plants Ltd has been awarded a grant of close to £1m to help develop the UK hemp market, hopefully leading to an opportunity for UK growers.
It will partner with the University of Hertfordshire, with support from Rothamsted Research, in the development of high-value, climate-resilient industrial hemp.
Hemp is a highly versatile crop. It is used in food, construction, and sustainable materials. Its seeds are used to make oil, protein, and other food products, while its fibres are used in textiles, rope and packaging.
It’s also used in building materials, including hempcrete, which provides insulation and stores carbon, and in biomaterials and bioplastics that can replace products made from fossil fuels.
Because hemp can grow on poor quality land and needs few inputs, it offers environmental benefits and new income opportunities for UK growers.
