OCM Tours State's Cannabis Farms

NEW YORK — The state Office of Cannabis Management will tour three farms that are cultivating New York’s first weed crop next week. The purpose of the walkabout is to highlight the progress of the Empire State’s farmers via the Seeding Opportunity Initiative.

The product grown on farms in Erie, Schoharie and Ulster counties will stock the shelves of the first adult-use dispensaries set to open later this year and the hope with the initiative is to give a leg-up to owners of the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries — people with prior cannabis conviction, ot to their close family members, who also have experience owning a successful business.

OCM wants the initiative to provide stability to communities as it kicks off the state’s adult-use cannabis market.

"OCM is excited to kick off our Summer Cannabis Farm Tour and highlight the New York family farms laying the foundation for the most inclusive cannabis industry in the country,” said OCM spokesman Trivette Knowles via email. “This is a great opportunity for everyone to see New York’s progress in establishing a cannabis marketplace before the first dispensaries open later this year."

When asked about a timeline for cannabis regulations, after reports of confusion with when people can sell and after several businesses were issued cease and desist orders and were warned about losing potential cannabis licenses, OCM said it is working on it and that as more news is available to New Yorkers the agency will provide updates as soon as possible to keep everyone informed.