Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/970887
EVERY MOVEMENT AND EVERY orchestra needs a conductor, and for the California cannabis industry, that conductor is Hezekiah Allen. "Hez," as he is known, started working on the movement at a local level in 2010, before moving to Sacramento to work cannabis policy reform at the state level in 2014. In 2015, he and other likeminded farmers founded the California Growers Association with the goal of ensuring that the industry honored its roots. Says Hez, "We were building on a solid foundation of several years of organizing in a handful of counties across the state and formed with a federa- tion vision in mind. Most politics is local in cannabis, so CalGrowers is a composite of close to 1,300 members of all the various groups working at the local level to move the needle toward regulation and away from prohibition." The Clever Root wanted to know more about the CalGrowers goals and initiatives, so we sat down with Hez to take a look at the state of the industry in 2018 and beyond. Where did all of your work in the Capital begin? The work started about four years ago. It was in a meeting hosted by a state senator who was con- sidering giving oversight of cannabis regulation to the Board of Pharmaceuticals. As a lifelong farmer, that was unacceptable to me. It was in that moment that I realized that the first step had to be a regulatory program that included the Department of Food Agriculture. We opposed that bill and came back in 2015 unequivo- cally committed to a multi-agency framework that put CDFA at the head of the table when it came to regulating cannabis. Our second highest priority was tiered licensing. There is a huge diversity of cannabis growers in the state, from off-grid homestead grows to technologically advanced indoor grows. Both—and everything in between—are a part of our heritage and have a place in our future. A "one size fits all" cultivation mandate would have made it even more difficult for producers to comply, and some of the diversity of practices might have been lost. Today, our membership takes great pride in our practices. Stewardship of the land and sustainability are fundamental values to farmers, and we wanted to make sure that our watersheds come first when it comes to cannabis. What are some of the big wins you're proud of working on? Adding the cottage cultivation license in 2016 was a bittersweet win. Though the license doesn't change the reality that many cottage growers are still shut out of the market, it has at least given those growers a seat at the table. Establishing cannabis cooperative associations like agricultural co-ops for cannabis was a really big accomplishment as well, and one that I think will end up shaping the market. The small irrigation use registration was also a huge step forward for sustainable agriculture, making it easier for farmers to store surplus rainwater and irrigate in the dry season without EVERY MOVEMENT AND EVERY that conductor is Hezekiah Allen. "Hez," as he is known, started working on the movement at a local level in 2010, before moving to Sacramento to work cannabis policy reform at the state level in 2014. In 2015, he and other likeminded farmers founded the California Growers Association with the goal of ensuring that the industry honored its roots. Says Hez, "We were building on a solid foundation of several years of organizing in a handful of counties across the state and formed with a federa tion vision in mind. Most politics is local in cannabis, so CalGrowers is a composite of close to 1,300 members of all the various groups working at the local level to move the needle toward regulation and away from prohibition." The Clever Root wanted to know more about the CalGrowers goals and initiatives, so we sat down with Hez to take a look at the state of the industry in 2018 and beyond. Where did all of your work in the Capital begin? The work started about four years ago. It was in a meeting hosted by a state senator who was con sidering giving oversight of cannabis regulation to the Board of Pharmaceuticals. As a lifelong farmer, that was unacceptable to me. It was in that moment that I realized that the first step had to be a regulatory program that included the Department of Food Agriculture. We opposed that bill and came back in 2015 unequivo cally committed to a multi-agency framework that put CDFA at the head of the table when it came to regulating cannabis. Our second highest priority was tiered licensing. There is a huge diversity of cannabis growers in the state, from off-grid homestead grows to technologically advanced indoor grows. Both—and everything in between—are a part of our heritage and have a place in our future. A "one size fits all" cultivation mandate would have made it even more difficult for producers to comply, and some of the diversity of practices might have been lost. Today, our membership takes great pride in our practices. Stewardship of the land and sustainability are fundamental values to farmers, and we wanted to make sure that our watersheds come first when it comes to cannabis. What are some of the big wins you're proud of working on? Adding the cottage cultivation license in 2016 was a bittersweet win. Though the license doesn't change the reality that many cottage growers are still shut out of the market, it has at least given those growers a seat at the table. Establishing cannabis cooperative associations like agricultural co-ops for cannabis was a really big accomplishment as well, and one that I think will end up shaping the market. The small irrigation use registration was also a huge step forward for sustainable agriculture, making it easier for farmers to store surplus rainwater and irrigate in the dry season without 7 6 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t Q&A CANNABIS Q&A WITH HEZEKIAH ALLEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA GROWER'S ASSOCIATION By Seth Doulton The Conductor is in the Capital Hezekiah Allen is Executive Director of the Cal Grower's Association.