Industrial Hemp Environmental and Economic Assessment

Partner & Stakeholder Map

Status: Draft

Date: 2026-06-10

Purpose: Identify partner and stakeholder categories that could support or test a Phase 3A program opportunity. This map does not record contact details or confirmed participation.

Use Of This Map

The map is designed to test whether a GBLC-led or GBLC-partnered validation program has enough delivery, technical and stakeholder depth to be realistic.

No organisation or stakeholder should be treated as committed until direct engagement confirms interest and role.

Partner Register

Stakeholder IDOrganisation typeRegionPotential roleValue to programLikely interestCapacity contributionSensitivity levelEngagement priorityRisks or constraintsNext action
P-001Granite Borders LandcareGranite BordersConvenor, local legitimacy, member engagement, project sponsor or partner.Direct alignment with project purpose and local producer/community context.Unknown until leadership and member views are tested.Local knowledge, member network, project framing, communications.MediumHighReputational risk if perceived as promoting hemp before viability is tested.Test board, staff and member appetite.
P-002New England Landcare Network member organisationsNew England and neighbouring regionsRegional collaboration, local delivery, field-day support, producer engagement.Could increase scale, legitimacy and delivery capacity beyond GBLC alone.Unknown.Local networks, extension channels, local issue knowledge.MediumHighParticipation cannot be assumed; governance and resourcing may be complex.Map relevant member organisations and test interest through appropriate channels.
P-003Local Land Services and state NRM delivery bodiesNSW and regionalSustainable agriculture, extension, Landcare coordination, possible funding alignment.May connect the program to regional priorities and Landcare Enabling pathways.Unknown.Program alignment, technical staff, regional delivery experience.MediumHighEligibility, policy alignment and staff capacity need checking.Identify relevant regional contacts and current program priorities.
P-004NSW DPI / Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentNSWRegulatory, agronomic and industry-development evidence.Essential for NSW licensing, trial interpretation and current policy context.Unknown.Technical evidence and regulatory clarification.Low to MediumHighMay provide information but not delivery capacity.Prepare targeted evidence questions.
P-005Queensland DAF / Biosecurity QueenslandQueenslandRegulatory and agronomic evidence for the historic Stanthorpe component.Essential for Queensland licensing, trial and compliance context.Unknown.Technical evidence and regulatory clarification.Low to MediumHighCross-border complexity and role limits.Prepare targeted evidence questions.
P-006Universities and researchersAustralia; potential New England, Queensland and national linksTrial design, agronomy, economics, environmental comparator methods, independent review.Provides credibility and research design discipline.Unknown.Methods, data analysis, trial interpretation and publication discipline.MediumHighResearch timelines and funding requirements may exceed Landcare capacity.Identify researchers linked to hemp, agricultural economics, soils, water and extension.
P-007AgriFutures and research and development bodiesNationalSource of existing industrial hemp RD&E evidence and possible alignment.Connects the project to national hemp research priorities and existing reports.Unknown.Evidence base, research priorities, potential connections.Low to MediumMediumMay not fund or support local delivery directly.Clarify current research priorities and relevant reports.
P-008Local governmentsTenterfield, Southern Downs and surrounding regional bodiesRegional development, planning, land-use context, community infrastructure.Helps assess local strategic fit, planning constraints and regional economic-development relevance.Unknown.Regional data, policy alignment, planning advice.MediumMediumCouncil support does not prove commercial viability.Test strategic alignment and planning considerations.
P-009Growers, potential growers and non-adoptersGranite Borders and comparable regionsGround-truth agronomy, economics, risk and adoption barriers.Critical for producer viability and extension usefulness.Unknown.Practical evidence, decision criteria, failure points.HighHighContact details and raw interview notes must remain private.Develop consent, interview and anonymisation protocols.
P-010Processors and buyersAustralia and potential regional supply chainsValidate demand, specifications, prices, processing access and market depth.Critical to distinguish real demand from general market interest.Unknown.Specifications, volumes, indicative terms, supply-chain constraints.HighHighCommercially sensitive information likely.Prepare confidential interview protocol and publish only aggregated findings.
P-011Freight, contractors, seed suppliers and service providersGranite Borders and accessible supply-chain regionsValidate practical operating costs and bottlenecks.Important for farm-gate economics and program realism.Unknown.Cost estimates, service availability, operational constraints.Medium to HighMediumExact quotes and business information may be commercially sensitive.Seek ranges and anonymised estimates where possible.
P-012Environmental and natural resource management organisationsRegional and stateTest environmental comparator framework and landscape outcomes.Helps avoid untested environmental claims.Unknown.Comparator selection, soil, water, biodiversity and landscape context.MediumMediumDifferent organisations may view hemp through different policy lenses.Use neutral framing and comparator-based questions.
P-013Industry bodies and hemp associationsAustralia and internationalIndustry intelligence, grower and processor links, standards, policy context and pathway-specific contacts.Useful for identifying buyers, processors, product-pathway assumptions and industry constraints.Likely interested, but advocacy risk must be managed.Industry networks, market context, technical leads and conference/forum links.MediumMedium to HighIndustry bodies may emphasise opportunity and understate failure cases or adoption risk.Engage as stakeholder sources, not as independent validation.
P-014TAFE NSWNew South WalesVocational training, practical agriculture skills, extension delivery, short-course or producer-workshop support.Potential partner for producer skills, agriculture technology, compliance, farm planning or extension material.Unknown.Training infrastructure, course delivery capability and regional education channels.Low to MediumMediumExisting courses may not cover hemp; custom content may require funding and curriculum approval.Test whether TAFE NSW agriculture and technology programs could support neutral decision-support or producer upskilling.
P-015TAFE QueenslandQueensland; Darling Downs and South West relevanceVocational training, rural operations, agribusiness, conservation and land-management extension.Potential partner for the Stanthorpe/Southern Downs component and cross-border producer training.Unknown.Practical rural training, agribusiness training and regional delivery capability.Low to MediumMediumExisting courses may not cover hemp; custom activity must avoid promotion and fit training rules.Test fit with agriculture, agribusiness and conservation training channels.

P-006 University And Research Sub-Stakeholders

Sub-IDInstitutionKnown relevancePossible Phase 3A roleEvidence sourceConfidenceNext action
P-006AUniversity of SydneyUniversity of Sydney authored AgriFutures Industrial Hemp Variety Trial reports for the Stanthorpe trial site, including the 2023-24 Mount Malakoff trial.Trial interpretation, agronomy, sowing-window analysis, regional transferability and grower-facing technical review.S061, S035HighIdentify the appropriate research contact through formal institutional or AgriFutures channels.
P-006BUniversity of New England / Food Agility CRC linkUNE-linked Technology Mapping for the Australian Industrial Hemp Industry mapped hemp value-chain technology constraints, processing location effects and organisational opportunities.Supply-chain economics, technology-readiness assessment, processor-scale scenarios and whole-of-chain validation design.S077HighTest whether UNE/Food Agility expertise is available for Phase 3A economics or supply-chain work.
P-006CSouthern Cross UniversityAgriFutures lists Southern Cross University as delivering the Australian Industrial Hemp Program of Research from June 2023 to May 2028. SCU-linked literature also maps industrial hemp research gaps.Current national industrial hemp RD&E connection, research design, agronomy, industry-sustainability questions and evidence-gap interpretation.S093HighConfirm current program scope and whether Granite Borders-relevant collaboration is possible.
P-006DUniversity of Queensland / QAAFIUQ records a historical project on value-adding to industrial hemp production involving QAAFI and science researchers.Queensland research capability lead, bioactives/value-adding context and potential technical review if current interest exists.S094Low to MediumConfirm current capability and relevance before treating UQ as an active hemp research partner.
P-006ELa Trobe UniversityLa Trobe hosted the 2025 Hemp-Connect Forum with the Australian Hemp Council and has a sustainable agriculture and food institute context.Industry forum intelligence, sustainable agriculture links, building-material or circular-economy pathway connections.S098Low to MediumTreat as a possible network lead only; confirm current researchers and project fit before engagement.

Industry Body Sub-Stakeholders

Sub-IDBodyKnown relevancePossible Phase 3A roleEvidence sourceConfidenceNext action
P-013AAustralian Hemp CouncilNational peak body formed under a federation model; primarily grower and processor driven.Industry contacts, grower/processor perspectives, policy and regulatory issues, conference/forum leads.S089MediumEngage for stakeholder intelligence while triangulating claims independently.
P-013BAustralian Industrial Hemp AllianceNational not-for-profit association representing businesses and organisations involved in industrial hemp and associated products.Product-pathway contacts across food, fibre and hurd; industry-development perspective.S088MediumSeek pathway-specific contacts and ask for evidence, not general claims.
P-013CQueensland Hemp AssociationQueensland peak industry body offering educational and agronomic support, networking and lobbying.State-specific industry contacts and Queensland licensing/production context for the historic Stanthorpe component.S092MediumEngage for Queensland grower and processor leads while managing advocacy bias.
P-013DEuropean Industrial Hemp AssociationPan-European industrial hemp membership organisation representing producing and processing companies.International policy, market and processing context; European fibre and product-pathway knowledge.S090MediumUse for international context and possible knowledge links, not local viability proof.
P-013EInternational Hemp Building AssociationInternational body focused on hemp-based construction materials and knowledge sharing.Building-material pathway standards, best-practice questions and international knowledge links.S091MediumUse for hurd/hempcrete pathway questions while independently testing Australian codes, buyers and economics.

Engagement Priorities

Initial engagement should focus on:

  1. GBLC leadership and members, to test whether the program opportunity is strategically acceptable.
  2. New England Landcare Network and member organisations, to test whether a network delivery model is plausible.
  3. Funding program administrators or guidelines, to confirm eligibility and fit.
  4. Researchers and government technical contacts, to shape credible research design.
  5. Processors, buyers, growers and non-adopters, to test whether the program would fill real evidence gaps.
  6. TAFE NSW and TAFE Queensland, to test whether vocational training and short-course pathways can support non-promotional producer education.
  7. Industry bodies, to identify pathway-specific contacts and industry assumptions while maintaining independent validation controls.

Sensitivity Controls

The published version of this map should not include:

  • names of individuals;
  • phone numbers;
  • email addresses;
  • private partner views;
  • unconfirmed willingness to participate;
  • commercially sensitive buyer, processor or grower information.

Where needed, publish general categories and use:

[REDACTED - confidential partner discussion]