The NYS Secretary of Agriculture was on the radio last night talking about the plan for rolling out retail marijuana sales this Fall (2022). Here are the takeaways:
- The NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) hasn't finished rules yet for licensing growers.
- OCM has promised retail sales before the end of 2022.
- They want retail shops to have something to sell when they open later this year, without importing weed from other states.
- They plan to issue temporary weed grow licenses to existing legal outdoor hemp farmers so they can get an outdoor weed crop in the ground this Spring and have a harvest ready for sale by Fall. They said there are 200+ existing legal hemp farms across the state.
- They want existing illegal growers to be able to get licenses and go legal later, after the rules are written by OCM.
- They plan a mentor program for savvy growers to teach new growers.
- The existing NYS weed market is so huge that there will be room for everybody.
- They are pushing outdoor growing because it's better for the environment.
A couple of questions came to mind:
Do hemp farmers know how to grow weed?
How will 1 outdoor crop per year possibly be enough?
I plan on continuing to grow underground as long as life endures.