Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/599676
7 6 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t and cultivators] have started caring about chemical pesticide analysis and microbiological screening as much as they care about potency. Consumers used to fixate on THC alone. Now they want to know more about the product they are consuming. Consumers who care about eating organic also care about organic cannabis." For the broad range of products that are infused with cannabis (cannabis oil extracts for vaporizer pens; infused edibles, beverages, and skincare products; pill capsules, inhalers, patches, and tinctures) good, clean cannabis as the input will ensure good, clean product as the output. Beyond the benefit of a quality end-product for consumers, organic and sustainable farming yield an even greater impact for the environ- ment, the economy, and the community. The current environmental crisis of the North Coast has stimulated a regional movement towards sustainable agriculture to ensure resources are optimized and habitats are protected. Leading the charge on environmental protection initiatives, Kerry Reynolds provides a platform for the cannabis community by way of her weekly radio show, Cannabis Consciousness News, on KMUD-FM. The show addresses important topics like environmental regulations, best organic practices, and alternatives to rodenticides and pesticides. On-air, Reynolds keeps the community informed of local and national cannabis news and interviews thought leaders about sustainable farming methods. Reynolds has produced more than two hundred cannabis radio programs and holds a B.A. in Writing from Johns Hopkins and a Masters in Environmental Education from the Audubon Expedition Institute. A frequent guest on the radio show is Kevin Jodrey of Wonderland Nursery, who is professionally trained in commercial propagation and cultivation with a Master Gardner accreditation from U.C. Berkeley. Jodrey provides his nursery customers with clones of market-leading genetics and consults farmers from around the world on how to achieve greater results with sustainable growing methods. A passionate advocate for permac- ulture, Jodrey claims that organic farming can yield larger, more quality crops while optimizing resource consumption. "Water preservation, reduction of inputs, green power, and bioremedia- tion—not taking more than we give, and feeding the system that feeds us—that's permaculture," he explains. As is evidenced by his work, Jodrey has a vision for commercial cannabis production achieved through a network of small farms, working together with the same genetics and similar growing techniques to attain production in volume while preserv- ing premium quality. "It's possible. We have to work together, share information, set standards, and then uphold them." Another guest on Cannabis Consciousness, Casey O'Neill, shares a simi- lar vision. Born and raised in Mendocino, O'Neill, with his partner Amber Cline, established HappyDay Farms which produces cannabis and veggies harvested for the local community. "Never in human history have we been so disconnected from our food sources. We're plagued with obesity and disease, negative land use impacts, and social ills from being so discon- nected from pure sources of sustenance." While O'Neill admits "you can't scale craft" (nor would you want to), he arms other small farmers with the knowledge and best practices for sustainable agriculture and a triple bottom line—environment, economy, and community. Outlaws Shaping Laws For decades, cannabis farmers have been fighting for the right to commer- cially cultivate cannabis, and over the last few years have organized into effective community activism groups making headlines and making real progress towards political reform. The Emerald Growers Association (EGA) is comprised of 150+ member farmers and 600+ affiliated supporters across dozens of counties through- out California. The association's Executive Director, Hezekiah Allen, sold his farm in Humboldt to dedicate himself full-time to government relations in Sacramento. Advocating for the voice of small farmers, Allen's work has been monumental for the cannabis community, providing amendments to proposed legislation and meeting with legislatures regularly to discuss the impact that these bills will have on the environment, public safety, and the economy. Allen shares his confidence in a bright future for cannabis: "In 2015, there has been a revolution in the way California talks about cannabis policy. We are encouraged by the leadership, the hard work of government agencies, and most of all by the strength of the cannabis farming community. I am optimistic that small businesses will continue to be the backbone of California's cannabis industry." California Cannabis Voice Humboldt (CCVH) is an organization making great strides for the cannabis cultivation community. CCVH formed just over a year ago, and in twelve months has assembled more than 1,000 community participants and presented two local regulatory ordinances, the Humboldt County Cannabis Excise Tax Initiative and the Humboldt County Cannabis Cultivation Compliance Initiative. CCVH, whose supporters are all about organic, sustainable farming, represents "an industry with a social vision" and advocates for strict environmental regulations to protect the rivers, watersheds, and forests of Humboldt County. A third group, the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA), has a membership base of over 100 cannabis businesses (dispensaries, manu- facturers, testing laboratories, law firms, consultants, and other sectors) largely concentrated in urban regions, primarily the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. The association provides business networking and a platform for addressing local, state, and federal policy reform initiatives. The momentum of these organizations is creating a tangible shift in California. This industry that has primarily operated in the shadows will soon become exposed to the challenges and opportunities of regulation. It's long overdue; it's been 19 years in fact (since Proposition 215 passed in 1996) that medical cannabis in California has gone without government oversight, contributing to under-taxation, environmental abuses, and threats to public safety that cause law enforcement to fill the void where the State Board of Equalization, Department of Food and Agriculture, and Department of Public Health should have. Cannabis business owners much prefer the presence of these department officials over law enforcement, and their readiness to become regulated has never been so strong. Jamie Kerr, Legislative Policy Advisor, and Hezekiah Allen, Executive Director for Emerald Growers Association, at the State Capitol in Sacramento, CA.