In 2015, Gavin Newsom, who was then the Lieutenant Governor of California, visited Humboldt County in the northern part of the state to rally support for legalizing cannabis. At the time, pot farmers in this historic growing region were worried that big corporations would take over, leaving small, family-run farms to disappear. Newsom, a rising political star, tried to calm their fears. He acknowledged that large businesses were already pushing for influence in Sacramento but promised that he would stand against them and protect the small farms.
He told the crowd, “With respect, they’re writing a lot of you guys out and we cannot let that happen.” His words seemed to win the crowd over. People took selfies with him, and many thought that Newsom was genuinely on their side.
Fast forward to today, and the reality is much darker. Cannabis is now legal in California, Newsom is the Governor, and small cannabis farms have been wiped out. Thousands of these farms, which had been part of the state’s culture for generations, have shut down. Whole communities in Northern California have been left struggling, with towns closing up shop.
When California voters legalized cannabis in 2016, they didn’t just make it legal to sell marijuana; they opened up the world’s largest marijuana market. At first, it seemed like a great opportunity for small farmers to thrive, but things quickly went sideways. Big corporations swooped in, and the small family farms that Newsom promised to protect are now disappearing.
Farmers blame Newsom for the mess. While he’s not solely responsible, his long history in state politics, including decisions that hurt the cannabis industry, has put him in the spotlight. One major decision that upset farmers was when the state allowed massive cannabis farms to operate, making it harder for smaller farms to compete. Recently, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed small farms to sell directly to consumers at farmers’ markets, a move that could have helped them survive. Instead, he argued that it would put too much pressure on the state and industry.
This isn’t the first time Newsom has disappointed the cannabis community. In 2017, when rules were released about how cannabis farms could operate, farmers were shocked to learn that the state would allow farms to grow as large as they wanted. Many saw this as a betrayal. Before this, a law had been passed that limited cannabis farms to just 1 acre for the first five years of legalization to give small farms a head start. But suddenly, that cap was lifted, and corporate farms began to dominate. Farmers were left unable to compete with these giant operations that could produce cannabis much cheaper.
As small family farms struggled, the big farms were raking in the profits. For example, Glass House Farms, one of the largest cannabis growers in California, grows cannabis in a massive 2-million-square-foot greenhouse, more than the entire Humboldt County combined. These large farms can produce cannabis at a fraction of the cost of a small farm, which causes prices to drop dramatically. What used to sell for $2,000 a pound now goes for just $100. As a result, hundreds of small farms have been forced to shut down.
The struggle to survive has become even more difficult with the current laws. Right now, cannabis farmers must sell their products to distributors and retailers before they can reach customers. This middleman system makes it harder for farmers to make a profit and share their stories with consumers. Many farmers believe that if they could sell directly to customers like other small businesses do at farmers’ markets, they would have a better chance of survival. However, Newsom’s veto of a bill that would have allowed this has left them frustrated.
For farmers like Judi Nelson, who owns Sol Spirit Farm in Trinity County, this is a make-or-break issue. She remembers when Newsom promised to protect small farms, and now she feels betrayed. “We’re still fighting to stay alive every day,” she says. Without the ability to sell directly to customers, her family farm is hanging by a thread.
Farmers feel that they’ve been caught in a trap. With giant corporations running the show, small farms are being pushed out, and many believe that this was part of the plan all along. “Maybe there are some fat cats whispering in the governor’s ear, ‘Let’s get these hippies out of here,’” says Jason Matthys, a cannabis activist in Mendocino County.
The dream of a thriving, small-farm cannabis industry in California seems to be slipping away, and with it, the hopes of many farmers who once believed that legalization would bring them success. Instead, they’re left fighting against a system stacked against them.
