MORE Progress on Federal Legalization and Big Win for Cannabis Farmers

Today, US House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler, along with U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (CA), Earl Blumenauer (OR), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Hakeem Jefferies (NY) and Nydia Velasquez (NY) reintroduced the MORE ACT that will eliminate federal marijuana penalties, expunge certain federal cannabis records and create programs for individuals impacted by the war on drugs.

Click here to read the reintroduced MORE ACT.

Closer to home, a California Superior Court rejected all the legal agruments filed by anti-cannabis forces led by Blair Pence, President of SBCRC and his lawyers agianst Santa Barbara County’s environmental review and Busy Bee’s Organics (BBO) approved permit for cannabis cultivation.

*** Busy Bee’s Organics (BBO) represents only a handful of women and Latino cannabis farmers in the state of California.

See the Court’s final decision here.

Local news publications captured the moment:

Santa Barbara Independent, Big Win for Cannabis Industry in Superior Court, read here.

Lompoc Record, Judge rules against coalition’s effort to overturn permit for Buellton area cannabis cultivation, read here.

As we enter the Memorial Day weekend and give thanks to many who lost their lives and loved ones in defense of liberty, freedom and democracy – we are also reminded to stay resilient and hopeful in the pursuit of just causes. Cannabis farming is more than a vocation, it is our love of land and passion for freedom that liberates our spirits to be thankful every day.

Have a wonderful and relaxing Memorial Day weekend with family and friends.

Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us and our community of farmers.

In appreciation,

 

Sara Rotman and John De Friel, Co-Founders

 

 

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Big Win for Cannabis Industry in Superior Court

Santa Barbara Independent, May 27, 2021

In a sweeping decision that puts a seal of approval on the county’s embrace of the fast-growing cannabis industry in rural areas, a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge this week tossed out a citizens’ lawsuit that sought to shut down a 22-acre cannabis hoop-house operation on Highway 246.

Read more here.

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Judge rules against coalition’s effort to overturn permit for Buellton area cannabis cultivation

Lompoc Record, May 27, 2021

Superior Court Judge Thomas P. Anderle denied the petition filed on behalf of Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis seeking to overturn a land use permit granted to Busy Bee Organics for a cannabis cultivation operation on Highway 246 west of Buellton.

Read more here.

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Santa Barbara County’s midyear financial picture rosier than expected

Lompoc Record, March 3, 2021

General revenues that exceeded those expected when the budget was crafted last year include secured property taxes by more than $3.5 million, cannabis taxes by nearly $3.4 million, property transfer taxes by almost $2.5 million and sales taxes by more than $1.7 million.

“Cannabis has saved public services,” said 1st District Supervisor Das Williams, who said the county’s financial experience this year is “wildly different” from that of other jurisdictions.

Read more here

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Khalid Al-Naser Tends to Raw Garden’s Cannabis Kingdom

Santa Barbara Independent, February 16, 2021

…Raw Garden focuses primarily on the products themselves rather than marketing hype or shiny packaging. “Lifestyle brands are great and definitely something that’s tangible for a lot of companies,” said Al-Naser. “But when we’re talking about normalization, being able to highlight the product, the inputs, the process, and the practices that go into making that, that helps consumer confidence.”

“If you’re making medicine for little sick girls and old ladies, which is where our genesis comes from, you don’t want to be boastful or bragging about how cool your stuff is,” he explained. “We really try not to pound our chests too hard about anything. I think that detracts from the product, which should be the main focus.”

Read more here

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Permit approved for existing cannabis cultivation project near Buellton

Lompoc Record, January 13, 2021

A cannabis cultivation operation on Santa Rosa Road near Buellton received a conditional use permit and development plan Jan. 13 with the unanimous approval of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission after the company twice revised its odor control plan to address public and commission concerns.

Central Coast Agriculture has been operating the cultivation operation since before Jan. 19, 2016, and applied for the CUP and development plan to make the operation on the 68.19-acre parcel at 8701 Santa Rosa Road compliant with county ordinances.

The approval came after three hearings on the project and multiple revisions to the odor abatement plan, but some members of the public still objected to the odor plan and asked for more changes.

Read more here

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Raw Garden Announces Expansion To Arizona – Q&A With CEO John De Friel

Forbes, December 17, 2020

Raw Garden boasts over 2,000 cultivars grown on 85 acres of land in the lush Santa Barbara County. If you ask its CEO and co-founder John De Friel, Raw Garden’s ideology is farm-first.

It balances both realities, proving how cannabis brands can be a well-oiled agricultural machine that stays “small,” that is to say, humbled by its roots in the medical community and the need for accessibility.

Read more here

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Lawsuit Against Hoop-House Ordinance Shot Down

Santa Barbara Independent, October 21, 2020

Judge Thomas Anderle rejected a lawsuit filed by the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis that challenged the adequacy of the environmental review conducted as part of the County of Santa Barbara’s controversial new hoop-house ordinance, passed by the Board of Supervisors last year.

Traditionally, hoop houses have escaped the scrutiny of county environmental review on the grounds that they are agricultural implements and ag is generally exempt. But in recent years, the county has seen a significant proliferation of hoop houses — not just more, but bigger, too — fueled by an increase in berry production as well as cannabis cultivation.

Read more here

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Board of Supervisors expected to reject appeal against cannabis project

Santa Barbara News Press, October 6, 2020

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is expected to deny an appeal filed against Castlerock Family Farms’ land-use permit application for cultivating 23 acres of cannabis in the Santa Ynez Valley.

According to the board letter for today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, county staff recommends the appeal filed by the Santa Barbara County Coalition for Responsible Cannabis be rejected on grounds that none of the issues it raises are of merit.

Read more here

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Santa Barbara County’s cannabis tax revenue takes big jump, partly due to COVID-19, report says

Santa Maria Times, August 29, 2020

“Since the stay-at-home mandate was imposed, the cannabis industry has experienced a sharp increase in consumer demand at the retail level, which in turn impacts the supply chain, creating an increased demand for product supplied by growers,” says the report, authored by fiscal and policy analysts Reese Ellestad and Steven Yee.

“Additionally, new operators are successfully navigating the county’s and state’s regulatory processes, and are therefore entering the market, thus generating new sales and new tax revenue,” the report says.

Read more here

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