Cannabis farmers markets OK’d by village of New Paltz – Daily Freeman

Marijuana plants at the Curaleaf medical cannabis cultivation and processing facility in Ravena, N.Y. (File photo)

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — Village approval has been given for a series of three-day cannabis farmers markets that will allow growers and dispensaries to work together in getting their products to customers.

The Cannabis Growers Showcase, which still needs state authorization, was approved Wednesday, July 26, during a Village Board meeting.

If authorization is granted by the state Office of Cannabis Management, the weather-dependent showcases will begin Thursday, Aug. 10, and continue through December in a space behind the village Department of Public Works building at 25 Plattekill Road. They are scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays,

Organizers are expected to pay for space on village property, the cost of police to monitor traffic, and additional electric use if needed. Estimates for those amounts were not immediately available.

The event is being organized by HV Ag Corporation, a grower based in High Falls that produces about 2,400 pounds of cannabis per year. Rick Weissman, co-owner of HV Ag Corporation, said only about 800 pounds will be suitable to be a smokable product, with most of the remainder available for processors who can turn it into edibles and oils.

“Even though we’re in six dispensaries we still have about 85% of the material we harvested left to sell,” he said.

Weissman said the initial showcase will feature at least three growers, a processor, and a dispensary. He estimated there will be about 900 participants during the first three-day event but added that there are a lot of unknown factors in conducting what amounts to a popup event.

“Depending on how the initial weekend goes, it will then determine the amount needed to satisfy demand,” he said.

Officials said the showcases will be prohibited from being presented as festive events without music or special performances.

“There should be no fun being had,” said Mayor Tim Rogers, in a slightly sarcastic tone.

Weissman said he expected to have the showcases continue until the state designates local dispensaries.

Sales during the event will be conducted through the dispensaries, which can also bring products of their owner for sale. Buyers can have growers reserve a specific amount from a grower, who provides a ticket that is taken to the dispensary vendor for the financial exchange and is given a receipt that is then taken back to the grower.

“If (dispensaries) did have the product with them, then they are allowed to hand them the product, hence they would not have to come back to us,” co-organizer Tricia Horst, a co-owner of HV Ag Corporation, said.

The growers and dispensaries are limited under state regulations to having a 50% markup from the price growers charge to the dispensaries, with consumers also paying a 13% tax on purchases. An additional tax is charged by the state for growers’ sales to retailers, who pay based on the amount of THC in a product at rates of 3 cents per milligram for edibles, 0.8 cents per milligram for concentrates, and 0.5 cents per milligram for smokable items.