NEW PALTZ, N.Y. (WRGB) — 2023 is coming to a close– and so too is a widely successful initiative that has helped licensed cannabis growers flourish.
The Cannabis Growers Showcase was the state Office of Cannabis Management’s way to help licensed marijuana farmers and processors to showcase and sell their products amidst a slow dispensary rollout.
“One of the reasons we did this is, as growers, we didn’t have a location to sell. This enabled us to sell what we grew last year,” said Christina Myers, owner of Old Saratoga Mercantile in Schuylerville, who opened a Growers Showcase at her shop on August 23rd.
Myers said she also used the showcase as an opportunity to educate people about growing cannabis and the importance of buying it from a licensed seller.
After the first Growers Showcase opened August 10th in New Paltz, the program will come to an end December 31st.
Currently, around 40 dispensaries are open statewide. With nearly 300 licensed cannabis farmers, some are calling on the state to extend the program into the new year.
Cannabis farmers aren’t the only ones calling for an extension. Some local leaders also want to see it continue beyond December 31st– at least until more dispensaries are open.
Licensed cultivator Rick Weissman, owner of High Falls Canna in New Paltz, has been involved with the showcase in New Paltz. It was the first to open in the state, generating roughly a million dollars in sales.
CBS 6’S BRIANA SUPARDI:“Has this been your lifeline to get your products sold?”
RICK WEISSMAN: “Without it we would have faced several various financial questions that I don’t even want to contemplate.”
Weissman says the program has been critical in keeping his business going.
“We’re going to have tough conversations in the coming weeks about how we’re going to keep our team employed,” said Weissman.
New Paltz Mayor Tim Rogers says the showcase has been an all around success.
“These showcases were supposed to function as a bridge to help the growers and ours has worked very well, our community has been happy, our farmers have been happy, we’ve generated a significant amount of sales that represents sales tax for the state, the county, our local government,” said Rogers.
Currently, the closest open dispensary to New Paltz is an hour’s drive away in Albany. Mayor Rogers feels the program should be extended until dispensaries open around New Paltz. .
Myers agrees. From Schuylerville, you’ll need to drive 45 minutes away to the closest dispensary, located in Schenectady.
They all believe that ending the program now will just lead people to buy from illegal sellers.
“There’s no dispensary open, at least in the immediate area, but there’s several illegal places,” said Myers. “I’m worried about people heading to those now since they can’t come to a close place to buy it legally.”
CBS 6 asked OCM if an extension is something its considering.
“The Growers Showcase was a vital, temporary tool to address a lack of available shelf space for cultivators at a time when dispensaries weren’t able to open up their doors for business due to the ongoing lawsuit’s injunction. With over a dozen dispensaries across the state opening this month — with many more to come in 2024 — OCM will continue to prioritize store openings and license issuing,” said OCM spokesperson Aaron Ghitelman in a statement.
He added that OCM is creating a permanent event permit that will incorporate lessons learned from the Growers Showcases.
While some showcases will be open through the last day of the year, others will close on December 30th.
The following list shows Growers Showcase locations and times.
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