Cottage Cannabis Farmer's Bill awaits Governor Brown's signature

Today, Assemblymember Jim Wood’s “Cottage Cannabis Farmers Bill” moves to the Governor’s office. AB 2516 will create a new medical cannabis cultivator license category for “micro farmers.”

Wood said, “We want to ensure that small medical cannabis growers on the North Coast can continue to do business as this industry moves forward. It is not fair to require the small farmers to adhere to the same standards as larger operations. This allows the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to develop regulations unique to small farmer practices.”

The new license type 1C, or specialty cottage cultivator license, will be available for farms with 2,500 square feet or less of total canopy size for mixed-light cultivation, up to 25 mature plants for outdoor cultivation, or 500 square feet or less of total canopy size for indoor cultivation, on one premises. CDFA will issue the licenses to qualified candidates as well as develop the requirements for each license type.

“Last year the Legislature developed the Medical Marijuana Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act in an attempt to address the environmental, public safety and public health issues in the industry,” said Wood. “This effort will only succeed if we make it reasonable for current businesses to come into compliance.”

We look forward to the Governor’s signature.