Crystal Oliver
Age: 33
Company: Washington’s Finest Cannabis
Location: Spokane County, Washington
Position: Co-founder and CEO
Even when she is not running the day-to-day operations of Washington’s Finest Cannabis, a state-licensed outdoor producer, Crystal Oliver is a busy woman.
Along with the farm, Oliver is also an executive board member of the Cannabis Farmer’s Council, a board member of The Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy, an executive assistant at Washington NORML, a member of Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board Cannabis Advisory Council and a member of Women of Weed, among other projects.
“We’re business owners, but we’re advocates at heart,” she says.
For the past three years, Oliver, along with her husband and Washington’s Finest co-founder Kevin Oliver, have advocated for small cannabis farmers, including organizing against a code proposal to label all marijuana processing as “moderate hazard/factory/industrial use,” which would have made fire suppression requirements for greenhouse, hoop houses and indoor facilities too much for many small farmers, especially those with that use well water.
“Had it been adopted it would have devastated small farmers in Eastern Washington,” she says.
Oliver believes it is imperative for those in the cannabis industry to get to know their local representatives and to make sure those representatives know you, so they can see that those in the marijuana business are not stereotypes, but just like any other small business owner.
“By getting to know me, that has moved the ball forward,” she says of her experience.