California Senators Advance Bill to Allow Small Marijuana Growers to Sell Directly to Consumers at State-Run Farmers Markets
A bill aimed at allowing small marijuana growers to sell their products directly to consumers at state-run farmers markets and other temporary events has been approved by the California Senate Appropriations Committee. The legislation, which was unanimously passed with a 4-0 vote, would also permit adults to consume cannabis on-site at approved events.
Under the proposal, the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) would be authorized to issue a new license to small marijuana producers, allowing them to sell their products at state-organized farmers markets and other temporary events. To qualify for the license, applicants would need to meet specific criteria, including a limit on the amount of cannabis they can cultivate.
The bill would expand on a California law enacted in 2018, which allowed regulators to issue temporary marijuana event licenses in jurisdictions where local governments permit it. The new legislation would extend this policy to small cultivators, enabling them to market their products alongside traditional vendors at farmers markets.
The bill has already cleared the Assembly and is now headed to the Senate floor. If approved, it would need to return to the Assembly for concurrence on Senate amendments before becoming law.
California is not the only state exploring this type of legislation. New York lawmakers passed a similar measure in June, which would make marijuana farmers markets a permanent feature of the state’s cannabis market.
The bill is part of a broader effort to reform California’s marijuana laws. In June, the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, signed a bill into law aimed at streamlining the processing of applications to study psychedelics and marijuana.
