Shoppers at California farmers markets accustomed to arrays of corn, zucchinis, homemade jams and jellies may be in for a surprise: Golden State farmers markets and ag fairs may soon add cannabis to their sales lists.
It all depends on whether Gov. Gavin Newsom signs into law A.B. 1111, California legislation which would allow small-scale cannabis producers to sell direct to consumers the same way small wineries do.
Under the law passed by the legislature last month, sales and on-site consumption could take place, subject to local jurisdiction approval, at “cannabis events” on farms and at agricultural fairs. Sales and consumption could occur in areas separated from overall customer traffic and children.
What farmers would be included? Think “small”: A new license from the state’s Department of Cannabis Control would be offered as of January 2026, to applicants cultivating no more than 10,000 square feet of cannabis, with square footage limits specified for different-tier-cultivation scenarios. Expanded square footages would be permitted the following year.
Small-scale growers could have no more than $175,000 in retail sales per year (subject to reevaluation in 2027)..
No surprise that weed farmers in California, who, like those in other states, have suffered financially from surpluses of biomass, are pushing the bill hard. The entry of major retailers into the legal market is another challenge. “As a farmer’s daughter, knowing the importance of having that direct relationship with the consumer, this allows cannabis farmers to be able to sell at authorized events—cannabis directly to the sellers—bringing the stock right to the person,” State Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman of Joaquin County said on the state Senate floor. The Senate passed the vote in August (the Assembly approved it in May).
H/T: www.forbes.com
