What National, State and Local Leaders are Saying

Economic Growth, Jobs Creation, Tourism and Community

Cannabis Industry Adds $458 million annually to the Santa Barbara County Economy, Coastalview.com, 8/7/19

  • 2,500 Jobs Created
  • $161 million – total annual compensation

Poll: Most Santa Barbara County Voters Support Cannabis Industry, see it as economic booster, Santa Ynez Valley News, 3/17/19

  • 63% of Santa Barbara County Voters strongly agreed that the Cannabis and Wine Industries should work together to spur economic growth and contribute to the County’s overall quality of life.
  • “Voters of Santa Barbara County want a stable, reliable, regulated and legal cannabis industry that spurs economic prosperity, produces good-paying jobs and adds to the quality of life of our community.”
  • “Santa Barbara County has once in a lifetime opportunity…to be the world leader in wine and cannabis tourism”. – Dan Fox, Private Reserve, Noozhawk, 9/12/2019
  • “I think farmers ought to work together and cooperate together”. – Steve Pepe, Owner, Clos Pepe Vineyards

Santa Barbara County

…”I think the (cannabis) industry has a place here in the County. I like the young people who are in it…” – John Parke, Santa Barbara County Planning Commissioner, Noozhawk, 5/30/20

Santa Barbara County, State of Cannabis

…another revenue source, almost as strong as the (transient hotel beds occupancy tax) which brought in $49 million since 2019 is the cannabis program at $43 million – which is paid for by the growers through their fees and taxes, supporting 30 county employees.” – Steve Lavagnino, Santa Barbara County Supervisor, Santa Maria Times, 3/13/23

US Congress

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal, United States House of Representatives, Congressional Record, May 2022 “California’s Farmers are among the most productive and innovative in the world – including those in my congressional district. Unfortunately, cannabis farmers are in the same legal limbo as everyone else…they can’t enroll in crop insurance, they can’t receive an official “organic” designation and they can’t access USDA programs and support. Yet cannabis cultivation is not significantly different from farming strawberries, wine grapes, cut flowers, vegetables and other crops grown in my district and state. I am hopeful that as we work with the Senate on comprehensive cannabis reform, we can provide clear, statutory direction…and eliminate this remaining area of ambiguity for all the farmers in my state.”

State of California

“For too many Californians, the promise of cannabis legalization remains out of reach…though the state has made significant progress since the legalization of cannabis, local opposition, rigid bureaucracy and federal prohibition continue to pose challenges to the industry and consumers.” – Governor Gavin Newsom, Press Statement, July, 2022

The Future is Bright and Promising

“Santa Barbara County is slowly emerging as a “Center of Excellence” related to having a vibrant cannabis industry consisting primarily of outdoor “sungrown” and indoor “greenhouse” cultivation. It is prudent to continue to explore policy ideas that enhance the farming opportunities to continue to create jobs, spur economic development and increase community benefits. Moving in this direction will help to build confidence among state and community leaders that we will have a competitive advantage when federal legalization is granted. New York State in anticipation of the future has already passed a law to include cannabis as a crop on their state’s agriculture list. The State also rewards counties that are early adopters of cannabis cultivation.” – Sam Rodriguez, Policy Director, Good Farmers Great Neighbors, Public Comments, Joint Assembly Policy Committees, February 2025