On April 14, 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the first adult-use cannabis licenses granted in the state. The Cannabis Control Board approved 52 adult-use cannabis conditional cultivator licenses across the state. The announcement also advances the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, which aims to allow equity entrepreneurs to be the first to make adult-use cannabis sales in New York with products grown by New York farmers.
The approved licenses (see below) come from more than 150 applications submitted to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). OCM will review applications on a rolling basis and work quickly to advance them for approval.
In February, Governor Hochul signed legislation creating the cannabis conditional cultivator licenses. The licenses allow existing hemp farmers in the state to apply to grow cannabis this year for the forthcoming adult-use cannabis market.
The first 52 adult-use cannabis conditional cultivator licenses have been awarded to:
- Aeterna Cannabis, LLC
- American Weed, LLC
- B30F Enterprises, LLC
- Bone Creek Farm, LLC
- Breathing Web Farms, LLC
- Brian F Conlon
- Canadice Farm, LLC
- Chickidoo, LLC
- Claverack Farm, LLC
- Clear Natural, LLC
- Colorado's Brand Distributing, LLC
- Cornucopia Growers, LLC
- East End Flower Farm, LTD
- Empire Agricultural Services, LLC
- Enfield Glen Hopyard, LLC
- Fat Nell, LLC
- Grateful Valley Farm, LLC
- Greenleaf Cannabis, LLC
- HappyHealing420, LLC
- Hemp Industry Consultants, Inc.
- Honest Pharmco, Inc
- HR Botanicals, LLC
- Hudson River Hemp LLC
- Hurd Farm, LLC
- JD Pinnacle Holdings, LLC
- Kennedys Herbal Solution
- Lunulata, LLC
- Main Street Farms, LLC
- Michael D Warholic JR, DBA Township Valley Farm
- Oak Queens, LLC
- Outcast Acres Farm, LLC
- Passion Field Farm, LLC
- Peter Pracilio, DBA Mount Vision Farms
- Phil Spinelli Farrier Service, LLC
- Plant Connection, Inc
- ReliefLeaf, LLC
- Rippin' Ridge Farm, LLC
- ROC Dispensary and Hydroponics, LLC
- Route 27 Hopyard, LLC
- Slack Hollow Organics, LLC
- Spadafarm, LLC
- Terrace Corporation of New York
- The Hemp Division Inc.
- The Releaf Market, LLC
- Timothy G Hunter
- Tricolla Gardens, LLC
- Twin Arch Farm, LLC
- Unifi Group, LLC
- Weathertop Farm, LLC
- Westkill Bend Inc
- Wheatfield Gardens, LLC
- Yager Farms, Inc
"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," Governor Hochul said.
As part of the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, candidates must meet two prongs of eligibility to qualify. First, they must have a cannabis-related conviction prior to the Marijuana Regulation and Tax Act (MRTA) on March 31, 2021, or had a parent, guardian, child, spouse, or dependent with a pre-MRTA cannabis-related conviction in the State of New York. Second, they must also have experience owning and operating a successful business in the State of New York.
