Shawn DeNae Eddy Wagenseller
CEO
Washington Bud Company
Smokey Point, WA
The end of 2022 is upon us and I’m facing reflection of both accomplishments and deeds left to do.
The first column I wrote for Marijuana Venture was published in the March 2015 issue. It addressed cannabis zoning, tracking, testing and taxes. The industry is still grappling with these same topics and there is still heavy lifting yet to do to advance them toward positive change.
Seven years ago October, I wrote “Unfortunately, the cottage industry in Washington State is so very undercapitalized as we face the costly challenges of building codes, zoning issues, testing, packaging and labor costs, distribution hurdles, compliance issues and huge market volatility every harvest season that desperation has sunk its sharp teeth into the belly of aspiring cannabis farmers who are forced to dump their product at less than profitable rates to just put some cash in the coffers to pay the bills.”
And it is still happening! We now see concentrates selling for under $5 a gram and ounces of flower can be found for under $30 at retail. Sure, it’s shitty product, but cheap always appeals to strapped budgets.
My March 2016 column reviewed the push against cannabis as an agricultural activity. It’s when I began supporting the Washington Sungrowers advocacy group. I now sit on the board, of the revised Sun and Craft Growers Association, and we are still seeking more involvement by our Department of Agriculture. This year cannabis trade groups are working to put a law in place that forces a workgroup to lay out how to transition cultivation licensees from oversight of the Liquor and Cannabis Board to the Department of Agriculture. This is a vital step in preserving the craft of small cultivators.
The tip of the spear for this cross-trade group collaboration effort is The Cannabis Alliance. I just won a board seat with that group and look forward to extending my advocacy. The leadership of this group and I have been working since 2015 to establish the Washington State Cannabis Commission. The bill will be introduced again this legislative session and I surely hope it finally passes. (See July 2018 column for history of the trade groups and commission work.)
Reflecting on accomplishments: the LED light conversion (see August 2022 column) has proven a great success! We now have two full harvests of 100% LED-grown crops and have booked the heaviest weights to date. The trichome development and cannabinoid content have remained while the bud development is impressive. The crew is really excited to work with even nicer, denser buds than HID lights ever provided and the power bill has dropped a full $1,000 per month.
Speaking of our crew, I would put them as our strongest accomplishment. We’ve had very little turnover and each are passionate and dedicated to providing some of the best cannabis grown. We will again share our appreciations for each other in lieu of gifts during our seventh annual Christmas dinner.
Happy Holidays to all!