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Vermont growers urge reversal of municipal setbacks, seek agricultural protections for outdoor cannabis
Summary
Grower groups and rural advocates told the Agriculture Committee that recent municipal setback rules and proposed cultivation districts threaten small outdoor cannabis operations, and they asked lawmakers to preserve agricultural status and expand direct marketing for producers.
At a February 11, 2025 Agriculture Committee meeting, representatives of the Vermont Growers Association, Rural Vermont and the Vermont Cannabis Equity Coalition warned that municipal setbacks and proposed cultivation districts could force small outdoor cannabis cultivators out of business.
Committee members heard that the state’s early statutory approach to cannabis cultivation — which in part treated small outdoor growers as agricultural producers — is being eroded by recent bills and local proposals. The speakers said that change has created regulatory uncertainty and, they argued, will worsen consolidation and market volatility that already threaten small operators.
Jeffrey Patella, co‑founder and executive director of the Vermont Growers Association, said the market is showing signs of strain: “Licensees are feeling these hardships now.” Patella…
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