Sacramento – Today, Assemblyman Jim Wood’s “Cottage Cannabis Farmers Bill” passed the Assembly. AB 2516 will create a new medical cannabis cultivator license for “micro farmers”.
Assemblyman Wood said, “We are trying to ensure small medical cannabis growers on the North Coast can continue to do business as this industry moves forward. It is not fair to require the small farmers to adhere to the same standards as larger operations. We are going to ensure the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) can develop regulations specific to small farmer practices.”
The new license type 1C, or specialty cottage cultivator license, will be available for farms with 2,500 square feet or less of total canopy size for outdoor cultivation or a maximum total canopy size of 500 square feet for indoor cultivation. The CDFA will issue the licenses to qualified candidates as well as develop the requirements for each license type.
“Last year the Legislature developed the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act in an attempt to address the environmental, public safety, and public health issues in the industry.” said Wood. “This effort will only succeed if we make sure current businesses are able to come into compliance.”
AB 2516 will be heard next in the Senate Rules Committee.
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Elected in 2014, Assemblymember Jim Wood (D- Healdsburg) represents the 2nd Assembly District, which includes all of Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt and Mendocino counties, plus northern and coastal Sonoma County, including the northern half of Santa Rosa.