How much Weed can a Washington Recreational Grower Grow?

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Many weed growers probably have mega aspirations of the ideal 40 acre marijuana farm producing metric tons of recreational marijuana, year round production facilities, and diverse weed strains accommodating any type of smoker.

The Marijuana Business Daily published an article, Inventory, Operations at Stake Under Washington Cultivation Limits, that points to recreational weed shortages under the current tiered growing system. Why? Because under the three tiered system demand will simply out pace legal growers ability to Washington’s blooming weed industry.

What Are the Three Tiers?

The three tiers are based on square footage of growing space.

  • Tier 1 is for less than 2,000 sq/ft.
  • Tier 2 is from 2,000 to 10,000 sq/ft.
  • Tier 3 is from 10,000 to 30,000 sq/ft.

That doesn’t leave a lot of room for mass grow ops when the Washington State Liquor Control Board will be issuing only select number of growing licenses out of the 2,600 applications. I have friends who own acreage who would be willing to lease as growers; however, if the three tiered system takes effect then large scale operations will not permitted.

Here is an excerpt from the Marijuana Business Daily:

Growers can apply for up to three licenses, and some ambitious growers have applied for the maximum of three Tier-3 licenses.

“I don’t think they can afford to give 90,000 square feet to anybody, if you do the math then that is only 22 growers,” Wagenseller said. “I suspect they’ll start sizing people down to allow everyone who qualifies into the system.”

Wagenseller says this is unfair to cultivators who have crafted their respective business models on their allotted square footage. He has applied for a Tier 2 license.

Bricken said many of her clients are simply applying for the maximum allotment of square footage, and then praying that regulators deny most of the applicants.

“They will figure out the logistics afterward,” she said. “That’s no way to plan your business.”

I just don’t see the current system allowing the amount of growth required to sustain demand. On the flip-side of the law, will the 3 tiered system pave-the-way for continued black market operations and sales?

February 27, 2014 |

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