California’s limit on big growers just vanished. Here’s why
The abrupt shift took many in the industry by surprise, and it comes on the heels of costly, intensive lobbying on behalf of some of the state’s most powerful cannabis businesses
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
In an unexpected move that has small cannabis farmers and some state lawmakers up in arms, California regulators have created a licensing loophole that could allow large-scale cannabis growers to operate farms of unlimited size. Under the new regulations, only small and medium-size grow licenses will be issued between 2018 and 2023 (for up to quarter-acre and one-acre grows, respectively). While medium-size licenses are limited to one per person or organization, however, there is now no limit to the number of small-size licenses any person or commercial entity may obtain. That opens a way for larger commercial operators to effectively stack small-size licenses into commercial-scale farms. (See also: California’s small cannabis farms are facing the end of an era)
