Industrial Hemp is a wonder product. It is infinitely recyclable when used for packaging and a great plastic substitute. It is also carbon negative when used as a building material for houses,  fabrics and paper, an amazing nutritional source of food for humans and animals, and an alternative source of oil. It has a growth cycle of four months, can be grown on a variety of terrains, and returns 60% of nutrients to the soil it is grown on.

At the moment, to be able to farm hemp in the U.K, farmers must fulfil several conditions. To procure a growing license (which costs in the region of £500), the farmer must register an application on the Home Office drugs licensing website, which includes detailed information on land location, and crop type. A DBS check has to be undertaken and sometimes a compliance visit must be carried out. There are conditions which include not growing your crop in a sensitive area -close to a school or public place - and the police have to be informed of crop location. Any farming changes require constant updating to the Home Office.

All these restrictions serve to discourage farmers from planting this wonder crop which could serve as an alternative for plastic, lower carbon emissions (5% of global man made CO2 emissions are from concrete production), replenish water sources (the Aral Sea has been emptied by cotton production) and boost the economy (hemp is grown as a lucrative crop in China). 

We, the undersigned, call upon the UK Government, specifically the Department for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to lift the restrictions on Industrial Hemp Farming, to encourage the production of this crop.