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North County Cannabis Farmers Are Making a Difference

Hi Friend,

Our farmers remain committed to supporting our local community and its economy through this crisis. By partnering with industries hit hardest by the pandemic, our cannabis growers are taking steps to see that the business community emerges from this uncertain time together.

Local restaurants have seen the support of our cannabis farmers firsthand. Buellton favorites Industrial Eats and Pattibakes commended their efforts, stating that “the opportunity to partner with essential businesses such as cannabis and agriculture helps us retain our workers and be optimistic about the future. We are stronger together.”

Lompoc mainstay Floriano’s Mexican Food also praised their work, stating “we are fortunate our local cannabis farmers have always been a steadfast customer and supporter. We will get through these difficult times together.”

Tell the Board that our county needs Cannabis farmers now more than ever

Our cannabis farmers know that as essential businesses, they must continue to step up not only on behalf of their peers in the business community, but for their dedicated workers. They are taking safety procedures to heart, and have taken every precaution to ensure their workers are protected.

While other counties grapple with furloughs and public service shortfalls, Santa Barbara County is using the cannabis gross sales tax revenue stream of over $20 million for this fiscal year to retain its employees and deliver services. This tax revenue will be critical in the coming months to help off-set potential budget cuts to vital government services for communities of color, seniors, and other vulnerable populations.

With drastic job cuts in the hospitality sector, we are now seeing children and families go hungry. Our promise to address Food Insecurity among our most vulnerable families in North County is steadfast and long term, please donate to our community partner Food Bank of Santa Barbara County here.

As our dedicated cannabis farmers strive to provide economic support to their community during these unprecedented times, they need your help to ensure they are allowed to continue our proud tradition of farming. You can voice your support and make sure County Supervisors know you stand with our good farmers by sending the Board a letter and re-tweeting your support.

Stay up to date with county issues impacting our cannabis growers by liking Good Farmers Great Neighbors on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

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Standing With Our Community during COVID-19

Hi Friend,

The COVID-19 crisis has wreaked havoc on our communities. We are grateful to see community members coming together to support one another during these difficult times.

As COVID related layoffs and furloughs have forced over 20,000 people to file for unemployment in Santa Barbara County alone, our cannabis farmers recognize their responsibility to their community now more than ever. Designated by Governor Newsom as an essential business, our farmers with the help of other essential agricultural business partners and health experts have developed best practices and tools to protect our workforce and keep them safe.

North County cannabis farmers are also doing their part to collaborate with local industries hit hardest by this crisis.

Our cannabis farms are working with beloved local eateries and restaurants to ensure they can weather this crisis. Local establishments such as Industrial Eats, Pattibakes, Floriano’s, Herb Home, Los Arroyos, and California Tacos are part of an effort to provide meals to our workforce through a food delivery service for all cannabis employees located at both farms and other facilities. As allies in our business community, we intend to continue finding new ways to collaborate and ensure our local independent businesses emerge from this crisis stronger than before.

Cannabis farmers are committed to continue to spur economic growth and job creation in the region. In 2018, we helped create almost 5,000 local jobs and today we are viewed as an essential economic engine to help in the county’s economic recovery and employment for local residents.

The cannabis tax revenues our county receives will be critical in the coming months to help off-set potential budget cuts to vital government services for communities of color, seniors, and other vulnerable populations.

Moreover, we are continuing our promise to address Food Insecurity among our most vulnerable families in the greater Lompoc Valley, please donate to our community partner Food Bank of Santa Barbara County here.

These times have impacted all of us in various ways, but we are all in this together. If you have a moment, please consider sending an email to our county supervisors to make sure they’re reminded of the efforts our community is taking to sustain our local economy and jobs.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Together, we will thrive as good farmers and great neighbors.
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North County Cannabis Farmers’ Efforts Sustain Our Local Economy

Hi Friend,

This week, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors held a budget workshop amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to help the public get a better understanding of the current economic situation and potential hardships ahead.One area of relatively good news to come from the workshop was the consistent and reliable revenue from the County’s cannabis tax collection. Over $8 million dollars in cannabis taxes were collected last year, and there is projected to be more than $10 million in the upcoming fiscal year.

Major news publications and media outlets underscored the importance and value of the cannabis industry in supporting Santa Barbara during these uncertain times, including KEYT, KCLU, and the Santa Barbara Independent.

The North County Farmers’ Guild is enormously appreciative of Governor Newsom’s directive deeming cannabis cultivation essential, as well as the supply-chain that supports the industry. This progressive act invariably saved hundreds of thousands of jobs and businesses across the state. As seen below in a graph compiled by Politico, California is one of only 22 states that have deemed cannabis businesses essential.

“As North County cannabis farmers, we are deeply aware of the challenges we all face as a family and community – continuing to provide good paying jobs, supporting our local restaurants, and assisting local organizations who help our most vulnerable during this time of crisis. We remain hopeful that we can sustain a viable partnership with the County and continue to provide vital tax revenue to its’ mission,” declared John De Friel and Sara Rotman, co-founders of Good Farmers Great Neighbors Community Initiative.

Thank you again, for your support and for sharing this journey with us.
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We Are All in This Together – Helping our Neighbors in COVID-19

Hi Friend,

Thousands in our community are hurting. Many who have never needed assistance from their local food bank before find themselves dependent on this important resource.
Over one million workers in the State of California have filed for unemployment.
In our own Santa Barbara County, more than 80,000 workers have been impacted by the closure of businesses due to the “stay at home” coronavirus mandate. People across nearly every industry are facing challenging times.
Santa Barbara County already has the 3rd highest rate of food insecurity in the state. Families and children in North County need our help to sustain their most basic needs of nutrition with healthy meals. One in five children are at risk of hunger in our community. Seniors are particularly vulnerable during this health crisis – unable to visit community centers to obtain their meals.
Central Coast Agriculture (CCA) has made a significant financial contribution to assist North County Families, sponsoring an effort to provide over 1,300 meals to children in need.
The Food Bank of Santa Barbara County is leading the effort to help feed all the needy families of the County, especially those residing in our surrounding communities – Lompoc, Buellton, Santa Maria, and Guadalupe.
Please consider joining CCA and other leaders of the North County Farmers Guild (NCFG) and the Good Farmers Great Neighbors Community Initiative in providing financial support to the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County by donating here.
Now more than ever your generosity and compassion is needed. We must help lift up those who may feel uncertainty and anxiety. We are one family, and we will all get through this together!  
You can volunteer at these local food distribution sites in Buellton:

County resources during this time, including emergency sites and food bank information, can be found here.

Thank you again for your support and for sharing this journey with us.
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