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Are there enough uses for hemp to make growing the crop on an industrial scale in Scotland viable?

That was the key question on everyone’s minds at an open day held on a farm near Kirriemuir in August.

Most left the event convinced there is enough demand for commercially grown hemp.

But it needs a critical mass of growers – many more than there are just now – to make it work.

Ali and John Easson organised and hosted the event at their family farm at Barns of Airlie.

It’s from there Ali runs her fledgling hemp seed oils business Hemp it Up.

In July 2022 she started selling cold-pressed extra virgin hemp seed oil al local farmers’ markets.

A few years later she and her husband expanded the range.

And they bought a mill to produce protein powders from the seed pressing by-product.

They also started infusing their oil with roasted garlic, chillies, and a mix of herbs to “introduce more flavour to reach a wider audience”.  Hemp soaps are another sideline.

Ali and John are part of the Hemp Growers Group, a small but dedicated band of people dedicated to cultivating this zero waste, carbon emissions-free alternative crop.

Also at the August event was Angus-based hemp grower Martin Cessford.

Martin told us he has been growing hemp for about five years.

Like Ali and John, he’s supporting the work of Aberdeen University’s Rowett Institute in researching how hemp products have practical applications across multiple industries.

As well as human and animal food and nutrition, there are market opportunities in the construction, agricultural and horticultural sectors, among others.

To highlight just one example, hemp-based material offers a practical and more environment-friendly alternative to the kind of plastic sheeting widely used on farms.

The varieties Martin now grows under licence produce much better yields than those he used at the outset.

As with any nascent industry, there’s a steep learning curve.

Martin told us he’s working with partners including hemp seed distributor Elsoms, SAC Consulting – part of Scotland’s Rural College – and Jedburgh-based insulated specialist IndiNature for help in getting his crop into multiple markets.

But it’s no easy task as a dearth of hemp growers means the Scottish supply chain does not yet have the critical mass required to meet potential demand, he said.

Many of the people who started out on the hemp-growing journey around the same time as Martin have since given up.

And yet the potential for hemp means it could be an ideal alternative crop for arable farmers facing the current weather-related challenges of barley production, he said.  Martin’s hemp farm spans more than 12 acres of Angus countryside.  He plans to increase this during the next year.

The exact location is kept secret because hemp is a variety of cannabis.

Despite containing only a tiny fraction of the psycho-active constituent of marijuana, misinformation about hemp remains a problem.

But advocates for an industrial hemp industry say taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the crop may have huge benefits for our environment, economy and health.  Government ministers on both sides of the border, including Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon at this year’s Royal Highland Show, have even hailed hemp as a “wonder crop”.

Martin was also keen to highlight its environmental credentials.  Hemp is an efficient sequestrator of carbon emissions, while products made from the crop can be completely biodegradable, he said.

He added: “We currently grow carrots under black polythene which is expensive to get rid of.”

A hemp-based alternative would not have to go to landfill, so would be cheaper, he said.

Other industrial hemp products currently on the go in Scotland are focused on climate change mitigation, and soya and peat replacement.

But it all boils down to critical mass, Martin said, adding: “We need more people growing it.”

Ali agreed, saying the potential is huge but more hemp growers are needed to help create a viable new industry in Scotland.

And highlighting some of the other challenges the current small band of growers faces, she said lack of awareness and even artificial intelligence are creating major hurdles.

Because of its cannabis association, online bots can lead to hemp websites being taken down, while even getting a bank account with the name “hemp” in it can be problematic, Ali explained.

But she added: “Growing hemp is a bit of a no-brainer.  It ticks so many boxes.”

Earlier this year, the Rowett published a policy promising hemp “cake” as a home-grown alternative to soya in livestock feed, offering “multiple benefits”.

The document added:  “Dll parts of the hemp plant can be used for a range of high-value products and carbon offset solutions.”

Scientists say industrial-scale hemp production can boost our food security.

It went on: “Decreasing reliance on (imported) soya will increase Scotland’s food security.”

The Rowett is also looking at the potential for using a hemp-based product as a locally produced alternative to coconut fibre (coir) and peat in Scotland’s valuable soft fruit sector.  Imported coir has emerged as the preferred growing medium in recent years.

Dr Madi Neacsu is involved in both of these research projects and was at the Barns of Airlie open day.

The demand for industrial hemp is certainly out there, Madi told us but added: “We need to build the supply chain.”

This article appeared in The Courier Farming Supplement on 23 August 2025