In Episode 21 of The State of Craft, we had a conversation with Shannon Ross, CEO of Antidote Processing. Shannon is a consultant and advisor for craft cannabis growers across Canada and promotes the craft cannabis industry and Kootenay cultivators. Shannon and Sami discussed the good and bad of the craft industry and how her new company is trying to make a difference in the craft cannabis world.
You can watch the replay of The State of Craft episode 21 here.
For those who don’t have time to watch the full episode, here is a summary of some of the points discussed.
These procedures make for good working conditions and help in controlling pesticides.
Legalization has created a lot of opportunities for women to get involved in the industry.
It has also opened communication for groups to work together and have important conversations.
Among the challenges, it’s hard to get bank accounts, start-up costs are high, there are lots of audits (upwards of 8 per year), and there’s still too much stigma from banks and the government.
Record keeping is hard, and people working in cannabis are portrayed by Health Canada and the CRA as a “bad person” who need to be watched and monitored.
It can be hard to get past security clearances depending on your past history.
In the Kootenays, most growers have nothing to do with being a criminal - the cannabis history is more about getting back to the land and growing.
The government needs to help people transition. They aren’t helping craft growers.
Lots of people don’t trust the government because of how legalization was rolled out - and as a result, are hesitant to make the transition.
Craft growers have to advocate and lobby the government to make legalization fair for everyone.
Cannabis is more than a recreational drug - legalization can pave the way for innovation to use the plant in other ways like food and building materials.
Packaging and marketing limitations need to change to be more like the alcohol industry. It creates a lot of waste and limits brands trying to share their info.
Many people are not transitioning because it’s hard to be financially successful. This limits opportunities and innovation.
Antidote is aiming to have the best quality cannabis available with a focus on genetics and variety. It’s grower-owned and has a lot of support and investment because of its values.
This article was written in tandem with Mike F.