New York hemp farmers who promote cannabis equity can also grow weed

By Nina Zdinjak

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed a bill that would grant interim cannabis cultivation and processing licenses to hemp companies currently engaged in promoting justice in the industry, Marijuana Moment reported.

The news comes about a week after the Senate passed the bill by a 50-13 vote to speed up the process of New York’s adult-use market and support goals of equal opportunity in cannabis company participation. The bill was sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Senator Michelle Hinchey (D).

Gov. Kathy Hochul/Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

“I’m proud to sponsor legislation to help them obtain conditional licenses that will allow New York to accelerate its cannabis program,” Senator Hinchey said at the time. “Our existing cannabis growers, who have been hit the hardest by market volatility, already have the knowledge base to meet this need and I am proud to sponsor legislation to help them obtain conditional licenses that make New York possible will enable them to implement its cannabis program faster.”

Hochul is proud to sign the bill

gov. Hochul (D) said in a press release that she is “proud to sign this law that empowers New York farmers to be the first to grow cannabis and the safe, just and inclusive new industry that will we build, move forward. New York State will continue to lead in fulfilling our commitment to bring economic opportunity and growth to every New Yorker, in every corner of our great state.”

The new measure, which places greater emphasis on equity, requires conditional license holders to “participate in an environmental sustainability program and a social equity mentoring program. Such a mentoring program is designed to educate individuals interested in becoming a licensed grower and draw on remote and personal mentees with experience in farm management, sustainable cannabis cultivation and best practices.”

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In addition, the marijuana law requires conditional licensees “to enter into a labor peace agreement with a reputable labor organization that is actively involved in representing, or attempting to represent, the applicant’s employees, within six months of licensing.”

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has until June 1, 2023 to issue conditional licenses, after which candidates should apply for a standard license for adult use.

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According to the bill, conditional breeder licensees may “minimally process and distribute cannabis products provided that such end products are in the form of cannabis flower.”

“This law puts New York farmers first in line to grow cannabis, the timing of which is critical to our efforts to introduce the adult use program,” said Tremaine Wright, Chair of the Cannabis Control Board. “With this bill, we continue to place equity and inclusion at the forefront of the new cannabis industry we are building.”

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.