The first 52 licenses for growers of adult-use marijuana issued by the New York State Cannabis Control Board were announced April 14 by Gov. Kathy Hochul and they include licenses to grow cannabis in the Hudson Valley.
The first round of approved licenses came from a pool of more than 150 requests that were submitted to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The OCM will continue to review applications.
“New York’s farms have been the backbone of our state’s economy since before the American Revolution, and now, New York’s farms will be at the center of the most equitable cannabis industry in the nation,” Hochul said. “I’m proud to announce the first adult-use cannabis cultivation licenses in the state, and I’m proud of the work the Office of Cannabis Management and the Cannabis Control Board are doing to get adult-use cannabis sales up and running as fast as possible without compromising our mission to uplift communities and individuals most impacted by the past century of cannabis prohibition.”
In Dutchess County, licenses were awarded to Lunulata LLC, Passion Field Farm LLC, The Hemp Division Inc., Spadafarm LLC, Hudson River Hemp LLC, and Clear Natural LLC.
In Ulster County, licenses were awarded to Oak Queens LLC and Hurd Farm LLC.
In Orange County, licenses were awarded to Twin Arch Farm LLC and Chickidoo LLC.
In Sullivan County, licenses were awarded to HR Botanicals LLC and Hemp Industry Consultants Inc.
Further to the north, in Columbia County, Fat Nell LLC, Aeterna Cannabis LLC and Claverack Farm LLC received licenses.
There were no licenses issued for Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, New York City or Nassau. Three growing licenses were issued for Suffolk County, going to East End Flower Farm Ltd., Plant Connection Inc., and Route 27 Hopyard LLC.
While the licenses allow growing of marijuana to be sold for recreational use, Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander noted, “We are working hard to provide a legal framework for New Yorkers using medical cannabis to grow their own cannabis plants. We understand that patients are looking to this new option to access medication at a low cost, and we are doing everything possible to speed up this process while working within the rules of New York’s regulatory system.”
