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NY Gov. Hochul signs conditional cannabis cultivation bill

NY Gov. Hochul signs conditional cannabis cultivation bill

New York passes conditional cannabis cultivation licenses

With this legislation, NY is creating a new Conditional Adult-use Cannabis Cultivator license, allowing hemp farmers to grow cannabis in the 2022 growing season.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed new legislation on Tuesday that will allow hemp farmers in the state to apply for a conditional license to grow cannabis.

With this legislation, New York is creating a new Conditional Adult-use Cannabis Cultivator license, allowing hemp farmers to grow cannabis in the 2022 growing season. Conditionally licensed cannabis farmers must hit certain requirements under this law.

According to the governor’s office, some of the requirements include, “safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly cultivation practices, participation in a social equity mentorship program, and engagement in a labor peace agreement with a bona fide labor organization.”

“I am proud to sign this bill, which positions New York’s farmers to be the first to grow cannabis and jumpstart the safe, equitable and inclusive new industry we are building,” Hochul said. “New York State will continue to lead the way in delivering on our commitment to bring economic opportunity and growth to every New Yorker in every corner of our great state.”

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes added, “Last year, after many years of fighting, we finally enacted the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, and are beginning to undo the devastating impacts over 90 years of unequal enforcement of marijuana prohibition had on too many lives and communities. MRTA ensures that the legal adult-use market will be centered on equity and economic justice for communities of color and individuals that have been harmed most by the War on Drugs in the State of New York. With the passage of this bill, we have the opportunity to create a responsible start to the adult-use cannabis industry by authorizing temporary conditional cultivator and processor licenses to current New York hemp farmers. This authority will help secure enough safe, regulated, and environmentally conscious cannabis products to meet the demand of the adult-use cannabis market when retail dispensaries open. Importantly, this legislation calls for a Social Equity Mentorship Program, which will create a viable and inclusive path for social and economic equity partners interested in cannabis cultivation and processing to gain invaluable knowledge and experience in this emerging industry. The temporary conditional licenses authorized by this bill will ultimately help realize the vision and goals of the MRTA.”

New York bill would allow conditional licenses for cannabis cultivation

New York bill would allow conditional licenses for cannabis cultivation

New York bill for conditional cannabis licenses

While the Office of Cannabis Management lags behind establishing a regulation and licensing process for recreational cannabis in New York, lawmakers are trying to find a workaround in the meantime.

In an effort to ensure that equity applicants — those who will open dispensaries first in the state — have product on their shelves when they open, a bill has been introduced to permit limited cultivation of recreational cannabis via already licensed hemp farmers in the state. Assembly Bill A2682A and Senate Bill S8084A propose the use of “conditional adult-use cultivator licenses” that would give cannabis-adjacent growers (i.e. hemp growers) the ability to plant and process recreational marijuana.

Assembly Speaker Crystal Peoples-Stokes was a sponsor of the bill and one its biggest proponents.

“It provides a conditional license to make sure when licensing is in place that equity business will have a product to put on their shelves,” she said. The legislation would only permit recreational cultivation licenses to valid industrial hemp growers that have been authorized from the Department of Agriculture and Markets, as of December 31, 2021.

With the outdoor planting season beginning in May in New York, legislators are hoping that the bill will pass before then. Should the bill pass, the conditional licenses would eventually expire, requiring the grower to apply for a full license.

New York legalized cannabis for adult use in 2021. However the state has yet to establish a regulated market and regulators say legal sales likely won’t begin until 2023.

 
New Jersey legal cannabis delays have cannabis growers worried

New Jersey legal cannabis delays have cannabis growers worried

New Jersey cannabis growers worried about delays

Like many of New Jersey’s residents who voted to legalize weed for adult consumers, the state’s largest growers say they’ve been eager for the market to open.

In fact, they say they’re bursting at the seams with marijuana — and now, they’re worried they’ll have to take drastic measures if things don’t speed up.

“I hate to say this, but we may have to start destroying product, and we may have to start potentially letting people go because part of the anticipation is you ramp up your staffing, as well,” said James Leventis, an executive for Verano New Jersey, which has a cultivation and processing facility in Readington Township and three stores in Elizabeth, Lawrence Township and Neptune.

“You’re hired for a job with the idea that this market will develop,” said Leventis, the company’s vice president of Compliance & Government Affairs. “I’m very concerned we will continue to see these delays. It’s looking very stark right now.”

Just like any other organic material, cannabis starts to decompose after time. Even after it’s properly stored, after six months weed can get stale, loose its aroma and potency. In worst-case scenarios, the pot can get moldy.

For months, Verano along with fellow New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association members have been pressuring the state to allow them to sell to the public. The strategy has increased over the last month.

So what’s the hold up?

In no uncertain terms, the state agency created to govern the nascent cannabis industry — the Cannabis Regulatory Commission — has said these same companies demanding to open have yet to comply with stipulations in the marijuana law.

“The law has been in place since Feb. 22, 2021,” said Jeff Brown, the CRC’s executive director at last week’s public meeting. “It has noted clearly that alternative treatment centers [like Verano] need three things: municipal approval, relevant necessary supply to be able to serve their patient base, and operational capacity to continue to serve and even expand access.”

Indoor Grow Tent Setup Guide

Indoor Grow Tent Setup Guide

how to set up an indoor grow tent for cannabis

Growing indoors is a great way to protect your plants from the conditions of the outdoors. But finding the right spot for your plants inside without a specific space set aside can be difficult.

With an indoor grow tent, not only can you grow your plants indoors in a secure space. A grow tent also gives you even more control over the environment your plants will grow in throughout their cycle.

Choosing an indoor grow tent

When choosing a grow tent, the main factors are the size and features. An average indoor grow tent will be 4′ x 4′ x 6.5′, which is a great compact size that still allows for optimal growth due to the height allowance.

To make everything easier, look for a grow tent with adjustable ports for vent fans/ducting, screened vent panels, and an adjustable power cord port. Growing in a tent will still require HVAC and lighting, and you don’t want to have to cut holes out yourself and risk tears that can lead to light leaks or temperature fluctuations.

The Lighthouse 2.0 Controlled Environment Tent is the perfect all in one tent, with all the above mentioned features. It also comes in a 4′ x 8′ x 6.5′ size for a wider area allowing more plants.

There are also smaller and even larger options for indoor grow tents. However it all depends on the size of your space, how many plants you want to grow and how much energy you’ll be able to provide through supplemental lighting and ventilation.

Once you have chosen your grow tent, it is time to get it set up.

Setting up your grow tent

Setting up an indoor grow tent is easier than setting up IKEA furniture, but it’s not always as easy as snapping a few corners and velcro together. Some grow tents might be made easy to assemble, while others have poles and joints that must be connected through the fabric of the tent to hold it up.

But we’re going to focus on setting up the tent once the frame has been built. This mainly involves setting up your lighting and ventilation using the vent ports and the support poles at the top of the tent.

In a smaller grow tent, air circulation can be taken care of easily with some clip on fans in the corners of the tent. However, additional ventilation like a carbon filter will need to be fed in through a vent port and supported if hanging in the tent.

This can include the carbon filter itself, plus an inline fan, tubing and the needed hardware. Ensuring that your carbon filter is supported and set up properly is going to make a big difference.

If your tent doesn’t have any built in ports to feed your tubing and wiring through, you may need to cut them yourself.

The lights you use will also depend on the size of your tent and how many plants you have. Check out our guide for finding the best grow light to make sure you don’t spend too much on a light that won’t cut it or damages your plants!

Aside from these two essentials, the customization you add to your grow tent is really up to you. The less plants you have, the more grow gear you can fit in with them like environmental controllers or a standing fan if you have larger plants.

Irrigation can also be useful in a grow tent for those who want to automate and maximize their efficiency. But in a smaller tent hand watering is likely easier and cheaper with just a few plants.

The biggest benefit of an indoor grow tent is that it gives you an environmentally controlled space wherever you want. No designing a grow room in your house or apartment required.

With ventilation, lighting, and water, your plants are ready to go in a secure, sealed environment.

Thailand legalizes growing cannabis at home

Thailand legalizes growing cannabis at home

Thailand legalizes growing cannabis at home

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s narcotics board on Tuesday said it would remove cannabis from its drugs list, paving the way for households to grow the plant.

Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalise marijuana in 2018 for medical use and research.

Under the new rule, people can grow cannabis plants at home after notifying their local government, but the cannabis cannot be used for commercial purposes without further licenses, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters.

The rule must be published in the official Royal Gazette and 120 days must pass before home cannabis plants will become legal.

Meanwhile, the health ministry will this week present to parliament a separate draft bill which provides details on the legal use of cannabis, including its production and commercial use, including guidelines on recreational use.

Homegrown cannabis should be used for medical purposes like traditional medicine, food and drug regulator chief, Paisal Dankhum has said previously and that there would be random inspections.

The draft bill punishes growth of cannabis without notifying the government with a fine of up to 20,000 baht ($605.33) and prescribes a fine of up to 300,000 baht or three years in jail, or both, for selling it without a license.

The move is the latest step in Thailand’s plan to promote cannabis as a cash crop. About a third of its labour force works in agriculture, according to the World Bank.

Best LED Grow Lights for 2022

Best LED Grow Lights for 2022

Best LED grow lights for cannabis

LED grow lights have quickly become a favorite options for growers who want to grow indoors and save energy while still boosting yields and quality.

Can an LED really do all of those things?

Yes!

The main reason that LED grow lights weren’t as popular until recently was mainly due to quality and cost. There is no shortage of cheap LED lights, and there’s just as many that are very expensive.

So which LED grow lights really give the most bang for your buck? Which lights are worth the cost while still delivering a higher standard of quality compared to HPS and CMH lighting?

Here are the top 4 best LED grow lights that you should consider trying in 2022.

Growers Choice ROI E-720 LED

Growers Choice ROI E-720 LED grow light

The Growers Choice ROI E-720 LED grow light has become one of the top selling LEDs over the last year. That’s for good reason.

The ROI-E720 LED grow light was designed with commercial growing operations in mind, but the light can be just as impactful in a small scale setting. The ROI can also be used in the BOOST mode to increase its PPF of 1870 umol/s to 2050 umol/s (approximately 10%).

This light comes in on the higher side of cost compared to your standard 1000w HPS grow light. However the efficiency and energy saving capabilities of the ROI E-720 LED can pay itself in just one cycle.

Luxx 860w LED Pro XR

Luxx 860w LED Pro XR Grow Light

Building off the progress of the 645w LED platform, the Luxx 860w LED Pro XR grow light is the next evolution of LED grow light technology.

It features two additional 100W LED bars to increase total light output and maintain PPFD uniformity over a larger area ensuring consistent growth across 5-6ft tray widths. This light maxes out at 103 degrees Fahrenheit, which is extremely low for the amount of light output the Luxx 860w LED produces.

The 860w can cover a 5×5 or 6×6 area with a 120 degree lens angle for better canopy penetration. This light can replace a 1000w HPS fixture, with better results.

Last but certainly not least, the Luxx 860w LED Pro XR can fold into a 4-bar setup while still running at 860w and can even be dimmed down up to 40%!

Gavita Pro 1700e LED

Gavita Pro 1700e LED grow light

The Gavita Pro 1700e LED is a 645w LED grow light designed by one of the top grow light brands in the world.

Operating with an output of 1700 µmol s-1 PAR, the Pro 1700e delivers broad, intense light coverage with its 8 passively cooled LED bars allowing you to use it in low rooms, vertical racks, over benches, or even in tents.

Gavita is known for their high quality lights that maximize efficiency for their cost. Built with premium Philips drivers, Samsung white LEDs and Osram deep-red LEDs, this fixture uses only the highest-quality components.

Gavita’s master controllers also give you more control over the Pro 1700e LED, from controlling output and dimming the fixture up to 50%, to setting timers and more.

Photobio MX 680w LED

Phantom Photobio 680w LED grow light

The Photobio 680w LED by Phantom took a radical approach to the design of their LED grow light. Phantom looked at the other LEDs on the market and decided to take a different direction.

The result is a 680W fixture delivering 15% more light to your canopy while using 35% less power than a 1000W DE fixture. The Photobio 680w LED abandons the bar style concept of many competitors in favor of a more efficient contiguous circuit board. This difference helps deliver unparalleled PPFD uniformity to the canopy.

The 680w LED’s design is multilayer rack centric, providing the ability to double or triple your canopy square footage within your existing structures footprint. This light is ideal for any grower that is interested in reducing power consumption while simultaneously improving crop performance and yield.

Honorable Mention – Sun System RS 1850 LED

Sun System RS 1850 LED Grow Light

The Sun System RS 1850 LED is a 720w fixture operating at 1850 μmol/s. This 6-rail foldable LED grow light is a great option for anybody looking to get their feet wet with LEDs.

The RS 1850 LED can cover up to a 5’x5′ footprint, but is most efficient in a 4’x4′ configuration. It is DLC listed, IP65 wet-rated and comes complete with a manual digital dimming button and an internal embedded smart controller that is compatible with the Gavita e-Series Controller.

With the controllers, the Sun System RS 1850 LED can daisy-chain up to 500 lights, making it ideal for commercial operations.