📢Greetings:
OLCC just released it’s DRAFT Temporary Rules on Recreational Marijuana which can be read here: http://www.oregon.gov/olcc/
The one and only Public Comment Session regarding the agency’s implementation of the Recreational Marijuana Program is scheduled on Friday, October 9 2015 from 1pm to 5pm at their Portland Office: 9079 SE McLoughlin Blvd.
The Licensed Premises Restrictions and Requirements outlined will drastically alter current grower models:
-Licensed premises may not be on a Medical Marijuana Processing site
This likely means no home occupation.
-Continuous access to broadband internet will be required for the METRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting and Compliance)Â system.
Significant cost associated for farmers in rural areas to get this access.
-No one under 21 years of age.
Forget family farms, this rule will eliminate the possibility of our 18+ children working along side us in the farm as they do with our food garden. We trust our families to know and follow the rules.
-May not permit on-site consumption of marijuana.
-General public not allowed
Another economic benefit of legal cannnabis is canna-tourism. If this is disallowed we as producers and Oregonians will miss out on this opportunity.
-SunGrown production requiring a 10′ fence.
We would like this to not be a requirement for current grows that are not in public view. It is also intrusive, ineffective as well as an eyesore.
-Continuous 24 hour video surveillance
This is also going to be an expensive, intrusive and ineffective measure designed to protect our crops that are only vulnerable for a small portion of the year. Lighting required will also disrupt growth cycles.
-Alarm systems at points of entires
Again, expensive and impossible for those without electricity.
-Opt-in medical growers will be limited to the plant counts allowed under OMMP.
After complying with all the onerous and costly rules, growers who choose to keep growing for patients will be limited to a small fraction of the canopy that normal producers will get. This is an insult to farmers trying to provide for vulnerable Oregonians and will do great harm to OMMP.
-The OLCC has offered to allow producers to apply for an exemption from any one rule.
This is insufficient. These rules were custom designed for giant corporate industrial grows and one little band-aid won’t make them good regulation for small family farmers.
We need your support in Portland this Friday to make comments and point out what IS CURRENTLY WORKING for Rural Family Farmers.Â
These onerous regulations will effectively cut most rural folks out of the market. In the RAC, we recommended that humans be a form of full-time surveillance for growsites not just expensive camera systems. Lets also point out that most of the “security issues” can be resolved in a way that is more in-line with what we have been doing for years.
We can help organize rides. Please get in touch if you would like to go and how many you can take.
Thank you,
OSGG Board of Directors
