Remove the Caps on Craft Cultivator Cooperatives!
Cannabis Control Commission
The current draft regulations for adult use marijuana in Massachusetts is unfriendly to farmers because it limits membership of a cooperative by putting a cap on the number of cultivation locations. We believe this cap should be removed to promote the full participation of small farmers across Massachusetts, as the law requires. Please sign our petition to have the Cannabis Control Commission remove these restrictions placed on Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperatives.
The current draft regulations from the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) state that:
“A Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperative is limited to one license, under which it may have up to: (a) 6 locations for activities authorized for marijuana cultivators; and (b) 3 locations for activities authorized for marijuana product manufacturers.”
Please sign our petition if you would like to support Farm Bug Co-op in removing the language that caps Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperatives at 6 cultivation locations and 3 manufacturing locations.
Sponsored by
To:
Cannabis Control Commission
From:
[Your Name]
To the members of the Cannabis Control Commission of Massachusetts:
We, the undersigned citizens of the Commonwealth, request that the following changes be made to the draft regulations for adult use of marijuana (935 CMR 500.000: ADULT USE OF MARIJUANA):
“A Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperative is limited to one license, under which it may have up to: (a) 6 locations for activities authorized for marijuana cultivators; and (b) 3 locations for activities authorized for marijuana product manufacturers.”
Replaced with:
“A Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperative is limited to one license, under which it may, as an autonomous, democratic organization guided by the 7 principles of every cooperative, determine its voting membership, including the number of cultivation and manufacturing locations. This membership shall be specified by the cooperative at point of license application.”
This change is necessary in order to preserve the integrity of the international cooperative structure, which ensures that all cooperatives are autonomous, democratic organizations made up of persons united in voluntary membership formed based on the needs of its members and the community that its serves.
By limiting the number of cultivation and manufacturing locations in a Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperative, this regulatory structure thus limits the membership of a cooperative. As a democratic, one member, one vote organization that functions on the basis of communal efforts, we believe that a Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperative should have the authority to determine the number of cultivators and manufacturers that join their cooperative.
Small farmers across the state of Massachusetts rely upon cooperative organizations in order to bring their products to market. By limiting the membership of a Craft Marijuana Cultivator Cooperative, this regulatory structure restricts the full participation in the regulated marijuana industry by Massachusetts farmers who, by law, as signed by Governor Charlie Baker, have the right to enter the emerging industry.
Respectfully submitted,