Restriction on feeding cannabis to food-producing animals

The rules that regulate the feeding of cannabis to food-producing animals ensure that meat, milk and eggs are free of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis. These rules are defined in the Code of practice for feed for food producing animals made under the Biosecurity Regulation 2016.

Cannabis that can be fed to food-producing animals

You are allowed to feed food-producing animals:

• harvested or treated cannabis plants from which all leaves, flowering heads and seeds have been removed
• denatured industrial cannabis seed
• the oil extracted from denatured industrial cannabis seed
• meal ground from denatured industrial cannabis seed.

Cannabis that cannot be fed to food-producing animals

You must not feed food-producing animals, or allow animals to access:

• any cannabis plant that still has leaves, flowers or seeds attached
• 'failed' industrial cannabis crops left unharvested in a growing paddock
• cannabis seed that can produce cannabis plants - seed that has not been denatured.

Food-producing animals reared near industrial cannabis plants

If you are growing cannabis plants and animals are being reared on your property or your neighbour's property, you must take reasonable steps to keep the animals away from your crop. You may need to build a fence to secure the crop.