{"id":57115,"date":"2022-09-14T04:34:22","date_gmt":"2022-09-14T12:34:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2022\/09\/14\/small-marijuana-growers-could-sell-directly-to-consumers-across-state-lines-under-new-congressional-bill\/"},"modified":"2022-09-14T19:46:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T03:46:55","slug":"small-marijuana-growers-could-sell-directly-to-consumers-across-state-lines-under-new-congressional-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2022\/09\/14\/small-marijuana-growers-could-sell-directly-to-consumers-across-state-lines-under-new-congressional-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Marijuana Growers Could Sell Directly To Consumers Across State Lines Under New Congressional Bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

A pair of congressmen filed a bill on Wednesday that\u2019s intended to help small marijuana growers compete against large corporations when cannabis is federally legalized, proposing to give them the ability to ship and sell products directly to consumers within and across state lines.<\/p>\n

Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) is leading the legislation\u2014titled the \u201cSmall and Homestead Independent Producers (SHIP) Act\u201d\u2014alongside Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR).<\/p>\n

As Congress continues to work toward ending cannabis prohibition, there have been concerns that smaller businesses will struggle to compete against the handful of multi-state operators that have the resources and infrastructure to quickly expand, threatening to further consolidate the market when the federal floodgates finally open.<\/p>\n

The SHIP Act is designed to minimize that risk and maximize opportunities for those smaller farmers and producers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a daunting business environment that they\u2019re facing. Markets are consolidating,\u201d Huffman told Marijuana Moment in a phone interview ahead of the bill\u2019s introduction. \u201cThe huge multinational corporations are certainly going to do very well, but we want to make sure that the smaller operations have a chance to compete and succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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As policies change, we cannot leave our smallest family-farmers behind. <\/p>\n

With my bill, these small businesses can have the chance to compete and succeed in a fully legalized cannabis market. https:\/\/t.co\/9GG74Rs6cX<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rep. Jared Huffman (@RepHuffman) September 14, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Direct-to-consumer models have historically benefitted small farmers in traditional agriculture markets, allowing them to bring their products to market without going through third-party distributors or retailers that would require additional spending.<\/p>\n

The SHIP Act would extend that marketing opportunity to the cannabis sector, but only after marijuana is federally descheduled. Huffman said that getting a policy ready for that \u201cinevitability\u201d is an important step \u201cto provide some regulatory certainty and assurances for folks that want to be able to do business out of state.\u201d<\/p>\n

The text of the legislation states that a \u201csmall cultivator of marijuana and a small manufacturer of a marijuana product may ship and sell marijuana or a marijuana product to an individual located in that State or another State in which possession of marijuana or the marijuana product is lawful by that individual, using the Postal Service or any private or commercial interstate carrier.\u201d<\/p>\n

Small cultivators are defined as those who grow up to one acre of \u201cmature flowering marijuana canopy\u201d for outdoor cultivation, up to 22,000 square feet of cannabis canopy using greenhouses or up to 5,000 square feet for indoor cultivation.<\/p>\n

For manufacturers, they would meet the definition of a small operation if they produce \u201ca manufactured marijuana product, including a salve, \u201ctincture, edible, or concentrate, with a gross annual revenue of less than $5,000,000, inclusive of all marijuana product manufactured by that person.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Huffman\u2014who represents a large swath of California long associated with the cannabis trade, extending from San Francisco to Humboldt County\u2014said that the definitions were developed with the input of small marijuana producers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019re going to see a lot of the mega farms in my district\u201d when marijuana is federally legalized, the congressman said. \u201cYou\u2019re going to see a lot of mom-and-pop operations trying to keep the lights on.\u201d<\/p>\n

For equity-focused advocates, the bill is being well-received as a much-needed means of giving small cannabis businesses a key tool to maintain their operations and promote economic diversity in a market that has already seen intrastate consolidation as large corporate interests establish sound footing and often acquire smaller firms that are unable to compete.<\/p>\n

Shaleen Title, the co-founder of the Parabola Center and a former Massachusetts cannabis regulator who has advocated for equity-based solutions in the marijuana industry, said that her organization is \u201cproud to endorse the SHIP Act\u2014the first federal marijuana bill we have ever endorsed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Today we are endorsing a federal bill for the first time! We are proud to support the SHIP Act and all of the small business associations that developed it with @RepHuffman<\/a> @repblumenauer<\/a>. Craft growers should be allowed to ship directly to consumers. https:\/\/t.co\/x6o7Lsxcl4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Parabola Center for Law and Policy (@ParabolaCenter) September 14, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cThis is the only legislation so far that takes cannabis policy beyond the Big Tobacco model of industry domination and toward the craft cannabis model that benefits both small businesses and consumers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

At the state level, lawmakers across the U.S. have taken steps to prepare for federal descheduling in other ways, including recent efforts to lay the groundwork for interstate cannabis commerce once prohibition ends\u2014or perhaps even sooner.<\/p>\n

For example, a California bill to allow the governor to enter into agreements with other legal states to import and export marijuana was recently approved by the legislature and sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s (D) desk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D) filed similar legislation last month<\/a>. The proposal\u2019s implementation is contingent on federal descheduling, or guidance from the U.S. attorney general that makes clear such interstate commerce would not be subject to federal enforcement action.<\/p>\n

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed an interstate marijuana commerce bill<\/a> in 2019, and two members of that state\u2019s congressional delegation, including Blumenauer, followed up on that action by filing a measure that would similarly allow for such activity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That bill would have prevented the Justice Department from interfering in states that have affirmative agreements to sell marijuana across state lines, but it ultimately didn\u2019t advance.<\/p>\n

Last year, a coalition of cannabis organizations began rallying the business community to join them in asking governors from four key West Coast states to seek Justice Department guidance<\/a>\u00a0on interstate cannabis commerce.<\/p>\n

Huffman, who also recently spoke to Marijuana Moment about his support for promoting therapeutic access to psychedelics<\/a>, said that these state-level efforts represent another way of looking \u201cover the horizon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have made great strides state by state in ending prohibition, but now we\u2019ve got to figure this out this,\u201d the congressman said, adding that interstate commerce rankly, the interstate commerce \u201ccontinues to happen on the black market,\u201d and so \u201cwe want to we want to bring that out of the shadows and into a legal framework.\u201d<\/p>\n

With respect to the SHIP Act, a number of trade organizations have already endorsed the proposal: Origins Council, Humboldt Country Growers Alliance, F.A.R.M.S. Inc, Washington Sun & Craft Growers Association, Vermont Growers Association, Maine Craft Cannabis Association, Farm Bug Co-Op, Big Sur Farmers Association, Nevada County Cannabis Alliance, Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, Trinity County Agricultural Alliance and the Sonoma County Growers Alliance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe direct-to-consumer model is a necessary resource for any small-scale craft-producing community that is deeply tied to the land on which it creates\u2014whether it produces wine, whiskey, cheese, beer, cannabis, or honey,\u201d Genine Coleman, executive director of Origins Council, said in a press release.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe legacy cannabis community that has worked so long in the shadows should have the opportunity to join the ranks of other artisan producers across the United States and enjoy the privilege of connecting personally with their adult customers,\u201d Coleman said. \u201cAs is always true with each step cannabis takes towards legality, the greater community stands to reap enormous benefit in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ross Gordon, policy director of Humboldt County Growers Alliance, said \u201cdirect-to-consumer shipping is the critical tool that enables a diversified market to survive and thrive. Cannabis is no different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe SHIP Act moves the conversation beyond the question of who can get a license to cultivate cannabis and addresses the practical reality of building an equitable and accessible market for small cannabis producers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Read the text of the SHIP Act below:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\n

Atlanta Lawmakers Discuss Psychedelics Decriminalization Resolution<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post Small Marijuana Growers Could Sell Directly To Consumers Across State Lines Under New Congressional Bill<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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A pair of congressmen filed a bill on Wednesday that\u2019s intended to help small marijuana growers compete against large corporations when cannabis is federally legalized, proposing to give them the ability to ship and sell products directly to consumers within and across state lines. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) is leadingContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":57116,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57115"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57115"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57117,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57115\/revisions\/57117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}