UK Government Support for Hemp
How Westminster, Whitehall and UK universities are backing industrial hemp as a strategic crop for food, fibre and carbon
What is the UK government's position on hemp farming?
The UK government actively supports the expansion of industrial hemp farming. The Precision Breeding Act 2023 created a streamlined regulatory pathway for gene-edited crops in England, DEFRA has committed £912,000 in funding for hemp genetics research, and the CHCx3 programme targets tripling UK hemp hectarage by 2030. Ministers have publicly described hemp as a 'crop of the future' for British agriculture.
Key policy developments include the extension of hemp licence duration from 3 to 6 years (2025), the removal of the requirement to destroy flowers and leaves for fibre-only growers, and the inclusion of hemp in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) environmental payment schemes. The government's 25 Year Environment Plan identifies industrial crops like hemp as important for achieving net-zero targets. — GOV.UK Press Release, January 2025
What Ministers Are Saying
Direct quotes from UK government ministers on industrial hemp reform, sourced from official GOV.UK press releases.
Daniel Zeichner MP
Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs
November 2024
“These improvements to the licensing regime for industrial hemp are a positive step for farmers. Recognising that industrial hemp is a field-grown agricultural crop, these reforms will simplify the license application process and provide greater flexibility within the crop rotation, enabling farmers to fully realise the economic and environmental benefits of the crop.”GOV.UK: Hemp licence burdens to be cut back (Nov 2024)
Dame Diana Johnson MP
Minister for Crime and Policing
November 2024
“These reforms will bring an important boost to this industry and cut down the unnecessary burdens that have been placed on businesses... This government will always listen and engage with industry experts, and we want to make it easier for licence holders to capitalise on the economic potential of legally growing hemp.”GOV.UK: Hemp licence burdens to be cut back (Nov 2024)
Mark Spencer MP
Former Farming Minister
April 2024
“Industrial hemp has huge potential across the UK to unlock new revenue streams, expand our bioeconomy without permanently removing land from food production, and bring wider environmental benefits. The licensing changes announced today recognise industrial hemp as a field-grown agricultural crop and will enable more farmers to add hemp to their crop rotations, sequester carbon, and sell their harvest to the textile and construction industries.”GOV.UK: Hemp licensing changes will help grow UK economy (Apr 2024)
Chris Philp MP
Former Minister for Crime and Policing
April 2024
“This government will always seek to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on businesses so that they can flourish and grow. The changes outlined today will help farmers and manufacturers in the UK to fully realise the economic potential offered through the safe and legal cultivation of hemp.”GOV.UK: Hemp licensing changes will help grow UK economy (Apr 2024)
ACMD Advice on THC Reform
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs formally recommended raising the THC limit, with the government accepting the advice in February 2025.
ACMD Conclusion 1 — 23 October 2024
Professor Owen Bowden-Jones (ACMD Chair) & Professor Roger Knaggs (Chair, ACMD Technical Committee)
“The ACMD is supportive of the proposed change to increase the maximum THC content of industrial hemp grown outdoors for seed production or in order to use the non-controlled parts of the plant to produce fibre for use in the construction and textile industries from 0.2 to 0.3%, as the potential benefits outweigh an increased risk of harms.”
Government Response — 11 February 2025
Dame Diana Johnson MP, Minister for Crime and Policing
“The government welcomes the conclusions and intends to make the legislative changes necessary to implement the increased level of THC in industrial hemp, subject to Parliamentary procedures.”GOV.UK: Government Response to ACMD Advice (Feb 2025)
Regulatory Reform Timeline
A cross-party effort spanning two governments, from initial Conservative reforms in April 2024 to Labour expansion in November 2024 and ACMD acceptance in February 2025.
Initial Licensing Reforms (Conservative Government)
Mark Spencer MP announced reforms recognising hemp as a field-grown agricultural crop, enabling more farmers to add hemp to crop rotations.
View SourceACMD Recommends THC Increase to 0.3%
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs formally recommended raising the THC limit from 0.2% to 0.3%, concluding that benefits outweigh risks.
View SourceLabour Government Expands Reforms
Dame Diana Johnson and Daniel Zeichner announced further reforms to cut licence burdens, extend licence duration to 6 years, and allow location flexibility.
View SourceGovernment Accepts ACMD THC Advice
Dame Diana Johnson confirmed the government intends to implement the THC increase from 0.2% to 0.3%, subject to Parliamentary procedures.
View SourceExtended Licence Duration
Maximum licence term extended from 3 to 6 years, with deferred start dates of up to one year, providing greater business certainty for farmers.
View SourcePublic Funding for Hemp R&D
Over £7 million in direct government investment across three major programmes, signalling hemp as a strategic priority for UK agriculture.
Precision Plants Grant
Defra Farming Innovation Programme
Gene editing to develop high-value, climate-resilient industrial hemp varieties using precision breeding technology.
Partners: University of Hertfordshire & Rothamsted Research
View SourceHemp-30 Programme
BEIS / University of York
National strategy to expand UK hemp from 800 ha to 80,000 ha within 10 years, adding £700m annually to the UK economy.
Partners: University of York CNAP / BioYorkshire
View SourceCHCx3 - Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping
Defra Farming Futures R&D Fund: Climate Smart Farming (via Innovate UK)
Four-year, 22-partner research initiative led by NIAB evaluating hemp and other crops for carbon capture, building supply chains for textiles and construction materials including hempcrete.
Partners: NIAB (Lead), University of York, Rothamsted Research, British Hemp Alliance, Unyte Hemp & 17 others
View SourceCHCx3: Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping
A £5.9 million, four-year research initiative led by NIAB and funded by Defra, with 22 partners investigating hemp and other crops for carbon capture and sustainable materials.
Hemp Carbon Capture Data
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon capture per hectare | 8-22 tonnes CO₂ | CHCx3 Fibre Crops research |
| Stored CO₂ per tonne of fibre | 1,393 kg CO₂e | CHCx3 Fibre Crops research |
| Farm-to-factory carbon footprint | 406 kg CO₂e per tonne | European hemp lifecycle analysis |
| Carbon absorption rate vs trees | ~2x faster | British Hemp Alliance / CHCx3 |
| Current UK hemp cultivation | ~800 hectares/year | CHCx3 / British Hemp Alliance |
Hemp Types Under Study
Fibre Hemp
Sown Apr-May, harvested August (+ field retting)
Uses: Insulation, textiles, biocomposites, hempcrete
Multipurpose Hemp
Sown spring, harvested Sep-Oct
Uses: Seed/oil for food & nutrition, plus fibre
Hemp End-Use Markets
- Construction: hempcrete, ISO hemp blocks, insulation
- Textiles: clothing, furniture upholstery
- Automotive/aerospace: fibre composites as plastic replacements
- Food: nutrient-rich seeds and oil
Source: CHCx3 Fibre Crops
Key CHCx3 Consortium Partners
Hemp-30: National Strategy
Making Hemp a Major UK Crop
Programme Targets
- Expand UK hemp from 800 ha to 80,000 ha (100-fold increase)
- Add £700 million per year to the UK economy
- Sequester or displace 1 million tonnes of CO₂ annually
Agronomic Benefits
- Increase subsequent winter wheat yields by up to 47%
- New break crop alternative to oilseed rape
- Reduce herbicide-resistant blackgrass and pest pressures
UK University Research Ecosystem
A national research network from gene editing and agronomy through materials and construction, strongly aligned with government net-zero and rural growth objectives.
University of York
HEMP-30 Programme & Plant Breeding
Leading the UK's HEMP-30 project to increase hemp cultivation from 800 to 80,000 hectares. Develops improved hemp varieties including stable seed oil lines with 7x improvement. Key partner in £5.9m CHCx3 carbon capture research.
Applications:
Bioplastics, insulation, hempcrete, automotive panels, food, carbon capture
Aberystwyth University
Industrial Hemp Innovations Hub
Launched 2025 Industrial Hemp Innovations Hub at AberInnovation Campus. £1.1m PHARMHEMP project develops hemp compounds for food, health and pharmaceuticals. Long-established hemp breeding expertise at IBERS.
Applications:
Food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, construction, biofuels, carbon capture
University of Cambridge
Natural Materials & Carbon Capture
Centre for Natural Material Innovation researches biomaterials for zero carbon building. Hemp absorbs 8–15 tonnes CO₂/hectare—more effective than forests. Partners with Margent Farm on hemp construction materials.
Applications:
Carbon-negative bioplastics, construction, automotive, wind turbines, insulation
University of Bath
Hemp-Lime Construction
BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials leads UK hemp-lime research. Built HemPod—first hemp-lime building for scientific testing. Hosted EU HEMPSEC project testing pre-fabricated hemp-lime panels.
Applications:
Hempcrete, hemp-lime panels, insulation, low-carbon housing, flood-resilient materials
University of East London
Hemp Insulation & Hempcrete
Extensive research on hemp in construction. PhD studies on hygrothermal performance of hemp insulation in UK buildings found hemp superior to stone wool for moisture management. Comprehensive hemp concrete reviews.
Applications:
Thermal insulation, hempcrete, moisture management, sustainable retrofits
Queen Mary University of London
Natural Fibre Composites (15+ years)
School of Engineering develops hemp fibre-mat thermoplastics for automotive moulding, hemp/polyester sheet moulding compounds (SMC) for building/automotive/aerospace, and all-cellulose composites.
Applications:
Automotive parts, aerospace components, building materials, biodegradable composites
Sheffield Hallam University
Hemp-Lime Nanocomposites
PhD project developed high-performance hemp-lime nanocomposite construction materials using nanozinc oxide and nanoclay. Core material achieved 17.7 MPa compressive strength—eliminating need for timber framing.
Applications:
Load-bearing construction, insulation, hempcrete nanocomposites, wall systems
University of Aberdeen
Hemp Nutrition & Agriculture
Rowett Institute Hemp Project investigates hemp's nutritional profile (36% protein, 26% fibre, 6% healthy fats) and potential as Scottish agricultural crop for carbon sequestration, biodiversity and land remediation.
Applications:
Hemp food and nutrition, carbon sequestration, soil remediation, Scottish agriculture
Edinburgh Napier University
Hemp Building Codes & Standards
Research on advances in hemp fibre application in building and construction, reviewing hemp-based building materials, hemp building codes and policy development. Contributing to international hemp construction standards.
Applications:
Hempcrete, hemp building materials, construction standards and codes
Brunel University London
Grow2Build Centre
Hosts Grow2Build centre of excellence—research hub for bio-based building products with dedicated lab space. Promoted hemp and flax as construction materials across NW Europe (UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany).
Applications:
Bio-building products, hemp-flax insulation, compressed fibreboard, bio-composites
University of Hertfordshire
Precision Breeding & Natural Fibre Composites
Lead genomics and gene-editing partner for Precision Plants, delivering lab-based genome editing and trait stacking. Developed natural hemp fibre sheet moulding compounds (NF-SMC) with fire performance superior to glass fibre.
Applications:
Precision-bred hemp genetics, automotive panels, aerospace components, fire-resistant materials
University of Portsmouth
Advanced Natural Fibre Composites
Portsmouth Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (PCAMM) develops bio-based composites as alternatives to glass fibre. FLOWER project created composites for automotive, marine and advertising sectors.
Applications:
Automotive composites, marine materials, biodegradable green composites, lightweight engineering
University of Warwick
Renewable Hemp-Oil Composites
Sustainable Chemistry group uses hemp fibres with renewable vegetable oil-based polyurethanes to create composites mimicking fibreglass. Hemp-euphorbia composites moulded into eco-car body parts (exhibited at Eden Project).
Applications:
Automotive body panels, surfboards, composite trays, renewable polyurethanes, coatings
University of Manchester
Hemp-Glass Hybrid Composites
Developed hemp-glass hybrid 2D woven composites for structural applications. Research shows natural fibre hybrids may be more cost-effective than pure glass woven composites in structural engineering.
Applications:
Structural composites, hybrid woven materials, cost-effective engineering alternatives
University of Leeds
Luxury Hemp Textiles
Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour hosts SeFF Fibre project with patented cottonisation process enabling hemp fibre for high-value apparel. Optimises Yorkshire supply chain for luxury fashion industry.
Applications:
Luxury fashion textiles, high-quality yarns, cottonised hemp fibre, all-natural composites
Cranfield University
Biodegradable Composites & Field Trials
Enhanced Composites Centre develops sustainable hemp-PLA composites via injection moulding. Partners with British Hemp Alliance on field trials investigating hemp's impact on biodiversity, soil health and carbon sequestration.
Applications:
Biodegradable composites, agricultural field trials, soil health, carbon sequestration
Ulster University
Natural Fibre Supply Chain
Partnership with NIACE produced comprehensive report on establishing natural fibre supply chain in Northern Ireland. Creates hemp-wool composites for decorative panels, wall installations and automotive interiors.
Applications:
Natural fibre composites, decorative panels, automotive interiors, hemp-wool materials
Bangor University
Alternative Crop Cultivation
Centre for Alternative Land Use (CALU) at Henfaes Research Centre maintains Flax and Hemp Project investigating fibre crops as alternative land uses for Welsh farmers. Provides technical guidance on cultivation.
Applications:
Alternative crop cultivation, fibre production, Welsh agriculture diversification
All-Party Parliamentary Groups
Two active APPGs give hemp continuous parliamentary attention, connecting farmers, processors, universities and investors directly with MPs and peers.
APPG for Hemp Carbon Capture and Rural Development
APPG for Industrial Hemp
Cross-Departmental Support
Defra
Positions hemp as a strategic, soil-friendly break crop and contributor to Net Zero 2050 through high carbon sequestration and substitution of high-emission materials.
Home Office
Still the licensing authority, but now explicitly talks about “helping grow the UK economy” and “boosting this industry” through licensing reform.
DBT
Department for Business and Trade supports UK seed genetics exports as part of high-growth life-sciences/agri-tech portfolio, not a marginal crop.
BEIS / UKRI
Through BEIS funding of the Hemp-30 Phase 1 report (University of York CNAP/BioYorkshire) and UKRI support for CHCx3 and Precision Plants, the government classes hemp alongside other priority climate and food-system technologies.