AB 2516, the “cottage farmer bill” was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today and is now one vote away from the Governor’s desk. AB 2516 would create a new “cottage” cultivator license for anyone growing 2,500 ft. or less outdoors or 500 ft. or less indoors.
Assemblyman Wood said, “California’s cannabis industry was built on the back of small farmers in my district. As the industry gets set to explode into the mainstream economy it is crucial that we don’t let our small farmers get left behind.”
Creating a special license designed for smaller operations allows the Department of Food and Agriculture, the agency tasked with developing licensure regulations, to consider these specialty farms independently from larger operations. The hope is that the Department will make these licenses more affordable and create a viable means for small farmers to compete in an industry that is predicted to grow rapidly over the next several years.
AB 2516 will next be heard on the Senate Floor for a final vote before moving to the Governor’s office for approval.
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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. http://asmdc.org/members/a02/