Most people associate cannabis with dispensaries in Colorado or California, but its true power lies at farms where this multibillion-dollar crop is produced. Becoming a cannabis farmer might not seem like your typical career choice but can prove both rewarding and exciting!
At Hepworth Farm in rural Josephine County, Oregon, its owners are identical sisters who have transformed their family’s apple and vegetable business into an innovative multifaceted operation that features both an organic restaurant and cannabis farm. As with any farm operation, selling their products requires going through various hoops; however, due to federal prohibition of cannabis production most banks won’t deal with cannabis producers reducing available resources needed for running the business; instead they rely on friends, family, investors, and alternative lending sources in order to remain operational.
The farm’s primary aim is to cultivate cannabis for medicinal use, as well as produce products suitable for sale in the recreational marijuana market. To this end, its founders have set up a lab where they conduct tests for various phytocannabinoids and chemicals as well as overall potency of their crops; their data could provide customers with insights into which strains and products might best fit them.
Cannabis producers must abide by stringent government regulations in order to safeguard both workers and customers during production. Growers must monitor and adjust all aspects of their plants’ environment – temperature, humidity and light exposure among others – while protecting from insects, diseases, molds and other environmental threats such as insects. Indoor cultivation presents particular difficulties as growers often rely on powerful herbicides like 2,4-D or paraquat to control plant growth.
Another challenge faced by growers is preventing cross-pollination with other plants or weeds, particularly with medicinal cannabis which could have serious medical ramifications if mixed with other substances. As the cannabis market is so new, many companies are still developing quality control procedures and training their staff on them.
Are You Looking to Join the Cannabis Industry? There are various entry-level positions currently available within it. Cultivators require workers with various skills, including knowledge of good agricultural practices, pest and disease management, harvesting techniques and postharvest activities as well as equipment maintenance. Company culture is also vital, since news spreads quickly about how companies treat their workers – or don’t treat them well – so bonus programs and team building events to foster morale are offered by some producers to boost morale among workers and ensure productivity; happy workers tend to remain dedicated and committed to the product and company, providing their products more market share than other farms in an increasingly competitive landscape.