Peter Davies and Mark Scherzer are the owners of Turkana Farms in Germantown, NY. This week Mark writes: Our turkey poults, Bourbon Reds, Spanish Blacks and Naragansetts, have arrived from the hatchery and are in the hayloft of the sheep barn under heat lamps until they feather out. What Peter calls their "eternal slumber party" has begun as they run hither and thither, eating, drinking, socializing and pecking virtually 24 hours a day. They are such an engaging presence that I think they’ll always be the centerpiece of our farm’s production. But, because farming is a business, we must always consider whether our product mix is right and whether we’ve struck an economically viable balance, if there is such a thing in farming. I've lately been considering whether we should consider adding a new product that has considerably greater potential profit margins. The one that has come to mind recently, should the opportunity arise, is medical marijuana. Don't get excited, I said MEDICAL marijuana.
The idea took on a more serious aspect when I had the chance this week to chat with one of the legalization bill's authors and chief sponsor in the New York State Legislature, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried. The medical marihuana bill (yes, that’s how they spell it in the NY statutes) can be found at the State Assembly's website. It has passed the Assembly in prior years, and is likely to again. It has already passed the Health Committee this year. Many a progressive measure passes the Assembly year-after-year and goes nowhere. This year, however, the bill has real legs. The State Senate is now seriously considering passing the measure too. The reason is not just the change in leadership there. It’s also budgetary. The Senate sponsors have proposed charging significant license fees to producers and users, estimated to generate $15 million a year in revenue. Critics have pointed out that we don’t tax drugs in New York State, and that the imposition of these fees undercuts the notion that the “weed” is being raised as medicine. The proposed bill would, however, restrict use of the marijuana far more strictly than is done in California. Only people with serious medical conditions would be able to buy it, and the use would truly be medical. Given the State’s budget crisis, that $15 million may very well carry the day. If the bills do pass both houses, Governor Paterson, who has admitted to having "self-medicated" with the drug, would seem unlikely to veto the measure. And I have it on high authority (sorry, couldn’t resist that one) that the federal government will not prosecute marijuana growers who operate with state licenses, so that we would not be risking confiscation of the farm.
Should we do it? There are still some serious questions. Of course, we’d have to see just what the license fees are and how much we’d have to grow in order to make a go of it. We’d also have to see if we could get licensed. Through an apparent drafting error, the current version of the bill does not seem to require that producers show they are of good moral character, with clean records for drug dealing, though everyone else in the supply chain seems to have to do that. But that will undoubtedly be corrected. Presumably, we would make the grade. The bill does require that producers have “appropriate expertise in agriculture,” but this does not seem too difficult a standard to satisfy. Finally, we’d have to consider whether this crop fits with our farming model. There are at least three reasons it might not: First, we believe that consumers should have a personal connection to the farm, but the law prohibits direct sale of marijuana. The “weed” has to go through a registered distribution organization. Second, we try to focus on growing older, less industrial varieties of both animals and vegetables. I suppose the “brand names” I remember from college, like Acapulco Gold, might be considered heirloom varieties by now. But I wonder if the distribution organizations will want small specialized productions at all. They may, instead, be looking for specially developed new strains of cannabis that have particular medical qualities or certain percentages of active ingredients. These strains might be genetically engineered, for all we know.
Third, and perhaps most difficult, would be concern for how the farm environment might have to change. This product is associated with a lucrative illicit market, as well as with teenage users, who would love to find a free source right at hand. To get licensed, you have to show how secure your facility is. What might we have to do to secure the crop from wholesale pilfering? You may think this is an exaggerated concern, but agricultural theft is not unheard of even with significantly less sought after items. Last week, Marina Michahelles of Shoving Leopard Farm in Red Hook wrote to Rural Intelligence to report that their flock of 18 hens and one rooster had been stolen from their coop earlier this month. Based on a tip, she believes the theft was perpetrated by a "known chicken thief" who comes onto people's properties and brings the livestock he rustles to auction. The hens were of a considerable range of varieties (from Araucana to Rhode Island Red to Wyandotte). If anyone has information on the theft, she asks that they report it to Officers Plass and Van Wagner in the Red Hook police department (845.758.6780). And, of course, she suggests everyone secure their coops against human marauding. If a "motley flock," as Michahelles describes it, is so at risk, what can we expect for an heirloom marijuana patch? On the other hand, the idea of an easy, highly-profitable crop would entice any farmer. Ask the Afghan poppy growers or the Colombian coca farmers. But are the problems we’d invite worth the trouble? PS: If we decide to do it, we probably won’t tell you. —Mark ScherzerPLEASE NOTE: On the morning of April 20th, the Harrison family of Red Hook suffered major losses when their barn, housing more than 100 animals, was destroyed by fire. The losses included livestock, tools, equipment and feed. Additionally, several of the animals that did survive required immediate and on-going medical attention. The Town of Red Hook Agricultural Committee has worked with the St. John’s Reformed Church to establish a relief fund to help offset these costs for the family. Those wishing to assist the Harrisons are asked to send donations to St. John’s Reformed Church – Harrison Fund, 126 Old Post Road North, Red Hook, NY 12571.
