Tell us about ‘Integrated Farming Services’ and your role?
Integrated Farming Services is a consultancy I established focused on promoting sustainable farming – mostly in protected cropping, but with key principles in common with all farming systems. It is the culmination of 12 years of various grant funded work addressing key farming issues related to pests and diseases and soil health delivered through farm trials, workshops, training and evaluation of Best Practice results.

Working with leading growers and engaging key pest and soil experts consistently confirmed that skilled sustainable farming practices always led to better yields and higher quality of produce while reducing synthetic inputs. Caring for the soil and reducing pesticides using Integrated Pest Management strategies including biological control agents enabled growers to improve their returns based on higher prices and volumes of first grade produce.

I concluded that sustainable farming is Best Practice rather than an altruistic burden on commercial farming.

What got you interested in hemp?
I learned about ihemp through a colleague (Graeme Crook) who had assisted me while working with a regional RDA on promoting the prospects for horticulture. He introduced me to an SA hemp-crete builder Simon Crittenden and subsequently to John Muir, Simon’s agronomist. I was immediately attracted by hemp’s potential as a sustainable high performing replacement for so many applications that can be grown sustainably and sequester carbon. From this base of three people my network has continued to expand to other national ihemp motivated change agents and finally to membership of IHASA and representation on the AHC. I am encouraged by the opportunities presented by being involved with these associations.

When did you start your hemp journey?
My time with protected cropping drew to a close nearly 2 years ago due to a lack of funding and state government interest in promoting a stronger industry, while at the same time I was attracted to supporting the emerging ihemp industry.

What’s the best thing about hemp?
Everything! As yet another person deeply concerned about our unsustainable approach to natural resources and struggling regional economies getting behind ihemp was a no-brainer!

What’s the worst thing about hemp?
Nothing really, but the emerging industry is a work in progress requiring sustained strategic attention to developing all aspects of the game from production to processing to market development and the accompanying investment. Perhaps the worst thing is the complexity of overcoming regulatory barriers due to its tendency to be lumped in with the constraints developed for cannabis. Instead it should be recognised and vigorously supported by all levels of government for the exciting value it can bring to the triple bottom line around this country, especially in the regions.

How do you see yourself best contributing to the hemp industry?
I am a networker and relationship builder focused on developing sustainable farming and supply chains. As such I will put my support behind any and all areas of this emerging industry. To date much of my effort has been around partnering to write funding submissions with John Muir and others. The aim is to bring resources into important research areas around hemp farming and best practice including data driven decision tools that can support the whole production and processing cycle with traceability and transparency to back up the critical value claims around ihemp farming and products. This is where I thrive on finding and connecting the key experts and innovators to help make such R&D successful.

I am also closely involved with efforts to establish an SA ihemp growing and processing hub based on Simon Crittenden’s farming, processing and building trials supported by farming with wastewater. Simon has a passionate vision of contributing to blazing a trail for thriving hemp based regional economies and the benefits they can bring.

Tony’s qualifications include:

• BSc Biology (Hons) – Flinders University
• Certificate IV in Horticulture – Irrigation Management Training
• Adult Education, In-Service Diploma – University of South Australia
  Including ‘Living Smart’ Train the Trainer