Kevin Jacoby and Oregon Groundbreakers in Fat Nugs Magazine

Fat Nugs Magazine recent edition “Health and Wellness” (p. 78-79) explores what the expression means around the world, and in doing so brings to light Oregon figures who have solidified the definition for their industry. In this editions theme, “balancing between indulgence and discipline”, we look at concepts such as accountability, as well as wellness in a community sense. Under the scope of Oregon’s legalization history, a few key figures recently made an effort to restore a weakened marketplace.

Why is Oregon’s Cannabis Economy Dwindling?

One argument out of an array is (in summary) continuing compliance reformations that require procedures to change at the ready, impacting profits due to supply changes needed to support each rule modification, or the requirement to destroy or invalidate sales of valuable product. This among other unpredictable obstacles triggered by instable compliance laws don’t cultivate business-flourishing environments. As the years add up, rule enforcements begin to create barriers for existing owners and even more so for new operators, who now are being urged to not enter the industry. 

“When looking at the volatility of the rules, Kevin (Jacoby) said, “The Oregon Cannabis industry has not been able to have one full year of rules staying the same without some outside crisis coming in.” He and many others have watched as government intervention has repeatedly kept the market from regulating itself.”

Another argument living synergistically is how Oregon’s legal era originally founded a rapid business boom, until too many licenses saturated the market and cornered owners into selling high overhead products for low prices. Already we have 2 reasons why this community isn’t equipped to handle inconsistency.

Why Oregon Couldn’t Afford Aspergillus Testing Requirements (From Fat Nugs Journalist Nigel Despinasse)

Regarding testing regulations, Kevin saw that the OHA opening up to recommendations and discussions from outside experts and businesses opened the door for special interests to take hold. In 2020, the state opened up the testing standards from the rule and advisory committee.

At the time, the biggest concern on everyone’s mind was Total Yeast and Mold testing, and nobody was even thinking of Aspergillus testing as a potential threat. After receiving comments, the rule was made at the end of 2021 and was to be implemented on March 1st, 2023. Since
the testing assays weren’t yet available, growers had about a month to do R&D on testing their crops.

Kevin began to see different people in the industry express concern on Instagram after multiple harvests from renowned farms failed their tests. Seeing this, Kevin started to talk to different cultivators, hear their problems, and help work with them to devise a lawsuit that would halt these testing regulations and give Oregon farmers a fighting chance.

This lawsuit was successful, leading the Oregon Court of Appeals to enter an order staying enforcement of the
Aspergillus testing rule while the lawsuit worked its way through the court. The court’s order prompted OHA to first
temporarily suspend the rule, and a few months later promulgated a new permanent rule that omitted the Aspergillus testing requirement altogether.

 

Read the Full Article Here. 

 

Article Features:

Les Helgeson, Green Hills LLC
Myron Chadowitz, Cannassentials
Jesse Bontecou, Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon (Formerly ORCA)
Holly Hillyer & Adam Teuscher, Utokia Farms

« Back to News & Insights