Hemp

Hemp grows fast, is very adaptable to soil and climatic conditions and is undemanding on resources such as artificial fertilisers and pesticides. It provides a good break crop for the farmer, giving the land a rest from other crops and helping to prevent disease.

It is a potential flagship sustainable crop for the 21st century, but there's a reason why our fields aren’t full of it. It produces a substance that became socially controversial in the early part of the 20th century: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which as well as having many medicinal attributes has been used as a recreational drug. In recent years breeding and selection has resulted in cultivars low in THC, and hemp is once again being considered by governments as a useful crop.