A $200 million plan to super-charge Australia's hemp production has been abandoned after failing to secure federal funding.
The 10-year vision to expand, study, and promote the crop had attracted $50 million in pledged funding but was unsuccessful in the latest round of the national Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) grants.
The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) had been leading the bid, but Professor Gavin Ash from the Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment said it would no longer be involved.
"It's very highly competitive, and this last round was probably the most competitive of any of the rounds," he said. The CRC funds collaborations of up to 10 years between businesses, researchers, and the community to develop, support, and improve new industries.
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