$7m ‘state-of-the-art’ cannabis farm for northern NSW

Plans to build a $7 million medical cannabis farm in NSW could be underway as soon as April. The facility would produce two to five tonnes of medicinal hemp per year with ‘no odours’. FIND OUT WHERE THEY WANT TO BUILD THE FACTORY

Plans to build a “state-of-the-art” $7 million medical cannabis farm at Binna Burra, near Bangalow could be underway as soon as April.

A development application is with Byron Shire Council and licenses are with the Office of Drug Control for four greenhouses and a processing facility on a 3400 square metre site lodged by Elixinol Global Limited according to a report by The Northern Star.

A DA is with Byron Shire Council and licenses are with the Office of Drug Control for four greenhouses and a processing facility. Picture: Supplied

The application states there is estimated employment opportunities for up to 25 staff.

The proposal seeks to demolish the existing three poultry sheds and associated buildings on the Friday Hut Rd site and in their place construct the agricultural intensive plant building and greenhouses for the purpose of growing, cultivating, processing and the production of medical cannabis.

The applicant — Elixinol Managing Director Linda McLeod said they anticipated the facility would produce two to five tonnes of medicinal hemp per year.

“It’s a fully integrated state of the art, highly secured cultivation and manufacturing facility of farmer grade medical cannabis product,” Ms McLeod said.

She said there would be opportunities to export.

The application states there is estimated employment opportunities for up to 25 staff. Picture: Matilde Campodonico

“Assuming the development application is approved the construction will start around April or May. It’s contingent on the timing of the application and our licences,” she said.

“What we will endeavour to do is use local contractors as much as we can for construction and ideally we would like to employ all our professional staff locally.”

The application documents state the proposed development is a five day a week 7.30am to 5pm business with “minimal noise and no odours”.

“The area to be developed is in place of existing poultry sheds and will encompass associated infrastructure, equipment, sheds, packing, loading facilities, greenhouses, access route and worker facilities.”

The application documents state the proposed development is a five day a week 7.30am to 5pm business with “minimal noise and no odours. Picture: Matilde Campodonico

It states there will be no dust, noise, or external spray drift and all harvesting and processing will take place from within the building with no off site impacts.

An engineering report provided by Charlie Hewitt concluded the development would see a “small increase in traffic” of an additional 27 movements per day to Lismore Rd.

Elixinol Global Limited through its businesses has a global presence in the cannabis industry including hemp-derived CBD dietary supplements, food and wellness products, as well as the cultivation and manufacture of medicinal cannabis products.

Elixinol Global’s businesses include:

• Elixinol USA, which was founded in 2014, is a manufacturer and global distributor of industrial hemp-based dietary supplement and skin care products, with operations based out of Colorado, USA.

The company say there would be opportunities to export their products. Picture: Matilde Campodonico

• Hemp Foods Australia, which was founded in 1999, is a leading hemp food wholesaler, retailer, manufacturer and exporter of bulk and branded raw materials, and finished products.
• Elixinol Australia was founded in 2014 to participate in the emerging Australian medicinal cannabis market and submitted license applications for cultivation and manufacture to the Office of Drug Control in early 2018. These applications are currently pending approval.