Nearly eight years after California legalized cannabis cultivation, Mendocino County continues to grapple with how to regulate the cannabis growers. The issue came to a head during a Board of Supervisors meeting, where the board considered amending the county's cannabis ordinance to address concerns about cultivation site sizes.
The current ordinance allows for cannabis grows up to double the size originally intended, a point of contention raised in September. However, after hearing from growers, industry supporters, and critics, the supervisors delayed action.
"Our relationship with cannabis has been really confusing," said Supervisor Glenn McGourty, expressing frustration over the lack of clear direction. McGourty, a former University of California farm advisor, emphasized the economic challenges facing small cannabis farmers, particularly the difficulties of scaling up production to achieve cost efficiency.
McGourty also highlighted the environmental and legal issues surrounding illegal cannabis operations, which include the use of unapproved pesticides, water diversion, and other harmful practices.
"The community has very strong feelings about cannabis," McGourty said, referencing both prohibitionist sentiments and concerns over the impact of illegal grows. He also noted the struggles of law enforcement in curbing large illicit operations.
In a positive development for local cannabis farmers, the California Department of Cannabis Control recently certified an environmental impact report, clearing a major obstacle for 500 Mendocino County growers. These cultivators had been restricted to provisional licenses due to environmental permitting hurdles, but the new certification paves the way for them to obtain full state licensure.
"This is huge news," said Casey O’Neill of Happy Day Farms, a second-generation family farm in northern Mendocino. O'Neill, whose farm is regarded as a model of sustainable cannabis cultivation, has long awaited the certification, which will allow him and hundreds of others to transition to annual licenses.
With provisional licenses set to expire in December 2025, the certification arrives just in time for many farmers who feared they might have to cease operations.
While the future of cannabis regulation in Mendocino County remains uncertain, the state’s recent action offers a glimmer of hope for small-scale growers working to secure their place in the industry.