Picking Up Where We Left Off [part 2]
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There’s so much to report this week that we’re doing a Part 1 and Part 2. This is Part 2 and it’s all premium content available for the last time without a paid subscription.
1. Local Government Activities, cont.
Picking up where we left off yesterday, here’s the latest on cities regulating THC and other cannabis products and activities:
The editorial board of the Mankato Free Press published an editorial endorsing Mankato’s approach to regulating THC products over those of other nearby municipalities:
The city of Mankato is considering modifying its law to make possession by someone under 18 a petty misdemeanor — not a crime — but otherwise not regulating it. North Mankato is considering licensing sellers with a process similar to licensing liquor sales. St. Peter is considering doing nothing, licensing or possibly imposing a moratorium on sales until it can see what other cities are doing.
We believe the approach by Mankato may be the best course. It’s a minimalist approach. City Manager Susan Arntz is right when she notes it would be cumbersome for the city to impose licensing on numerous businesses that could sell the product.
Hermantown passed a six-month moratorium on the production and sale of edible cannabinoids.
Moorhead city officials are not recommending the adoption of a moratorium and are, instead, researching regulatory options. They plan to bring recommendations to the city council in the coming months.
Crookston’s city council voted 7-1 to forgo a moratorium while the city administrator researches and proposes a local ordinance and plan for enforcing the state laws.
Austin moved a draft ordinance on the sale and possession of edible cannabinoid products out of work session. If passed, the ordinance would “ban sales to anyone under the age of 21 as well as possession. It would also keep sales to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as prohibiting sales on Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
Shakopee imposed a moratorium on the sale of THC products through the end of 2022. A working group of all the city administrators within Scott County is being formed to “allow the cities and county to work together on creating a cohesive agreement regarding how to handle THC regulations.”
The Crookston School Board heard updates to its Drug and Alcohol Testing and Drug-Free Workplace/School policies as recommended by the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA). “‘With the changes in legalization of cannabis and other products, that doesn’t necessarily mean our policies change for what is allowed on school ground,’ said Superintendent Dave Kuehn. ‘So, all we did with the first two policies was update the terminology so that people understand some of those products still can’t be consumed on school property.’”
Plymouth’s city council will vote on the adoption of a one-year moratorium on the sale of THC products at its next meeting. “‘It appears our legislators have dropped a real load of a turd on us,’ said Plymouth City Council member Jim Davis.”
Le Center has imposed a one-year moratorium on the sale of cannabinoid products.
Eden Prairie approved a new ordinance regulating the sale of THC edibles. The ordinance is similar to the city’s ordinance regulating tobacco sales—"it prohibits sales to customers younger than age 21 and requires a city license, background check, site visit, compliance checks, and more.”
Osseo approved a one-year moratorium on the sale of THC products during which it will consider options for a licensing ordinance.
COMING SOON: Blunt Strategies and O’Rourke Strategies are partnering to provide paid subscribers of The Pre-Roll with real-time tracking of local government activities (hearings, proposals, policies and ordinances, etc.) pertaining to cannabis products and businesses.
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2. State Guidance and Resources, cont.
One additional piece of guidance to add to yesterday’s list:
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has published a new guidance document on hemp-derived edible cannabinoid products for food operators. The document includes guidelines for the processing of edible cannabinoid products.
3. There’s More to MN Hemp than THC
Daily News published an article featuring John Strofus, Minnesota’s first licensed help grower and founder of what Strofus claims is the nation’s largest hemp foods company, Field Theory. Earlier this month, Strofus spoke at an event hosted by the Southern Valley Economic Development Authority focused on “Growing Hemp in the Southern Valley.” From the article:
Justin Neppl, SVEDA’s director, said he felt there was enough interaction between Strohfus, an experienced hemp grower, and local farmers who may consider growing hemp themselves.
“If you’re a farmer and you couldn’t get your questions answered Thursday, you were introduced to the folks to ask and resources to utilize to have your questions answered,” Neppl said.
Strohfus’ continuing objective as a hemp grower, he said, has been to focus on its use in the grain and food industries.
Hometown Source published an article featuring Charlie Levine of Hemp Acres which also claims to be the largest hemp foods company in the nation, as well as “the only processor in the nation to handle all three commodities derived from the hemp plant: grain ingredients, botanical extracts like cannabinoids and CBD products, and fiber.” From the article:
Hemp Acres produces a raw material called hemp hurd. It’s the inner woody core of the hemp plant. Chipped into small pieces and mixed with a lime binder and water, it can be turned into a construction material called hempcrete. Hurd also can be used in plastics, alternative lumber, insulation, filters and packaging.
…
Hemp Acres also produces a product called hemp seed oil that can be used to produce a weatherproof paint which is also biodegradable. And hemp fiber has many uses including textiles, erosion barriers, fiberglass, and one Levine is especially excited about: batteries.
5. Events
Visit the Minnesota Hemp Growers Cooperative at the Minnesota State Fair! They’re located at Underwood and Hoyt on the north side behind The Hangar. There will be demos for battery technology, building materials, health, wellness and other educational content, as well as panels with legislative updates and speakers.
Cotter Farm, Superior Cannabis Company, the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, and the Land Stewardship Project will be hosting the Second Annual Hemp & Food Health Day on a Regenerative Farm on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Tom Cotter farm near Austin.
AgriGrowth’s annual Minnesota Ag & Food Summit will take place on Thursday, Nov. 10 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The summit will include a panel on “Future MN Agri-Food Products” featuring Kyle Marinkovich of cannabis processing and beverage company Northern Diversified Solutions and Charlie Levine of Hemp Acres.
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