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Social-equity applicants and growers press CRC on stalled approvals, hemp competition and inconsistent testing
Summary
Public commenters told the commission social-equity licensees face delays and costs, hemp-derived products and out-of-state inputs are displacing local operators, and testing-lab inconsistency undermines trust in the regulated market.
Several public commenters used the commissionmeeting to press the agency on social-equity implementation, market access for New Jersey hemp and cannabis manufacturers, and inconsistent lab testing standards.
Patricia Grimsley, representing Lifted Jersey LLC, said her conditional social-equity license has been stalled for nearly three years after municipal planning reversals in Roselle. "To date, we have spent more than $90,000 with no clear path to converting to an annual license," Grimsley said, and she asked the commission to facilitate municipal review, coordinate technical support with state partners, and provide flexibility on seed-equity grant timelines.
Local manufacturers and farmers raised concerns that hemp-derived products are being allowed into dispensaries in ways that disadvantage New Jersey producers. Jessie Marie Villers, owner and CEO of Baked by the River, told the commission that many hemp products are out-of-state brands with limited transparency and that "lab shopping" by manufacturers and inconsistent test results undermine market trust and create unfair advantages. Mata Figaro, cofounder of Canpowerment and a class 2 manufacturer, warned that regulatory differences allow intoxicating hemp beverages to be displayed more openly than CRC-regulated cannabis beverages, creating a structural disadvantage for licensed cannabis manufacturers.
Farmers also called for clarity about how psychoactive-hemp restrictions will apply on the ground. Thomas Norcia of GrowWorks and the New Jersey Hemp Growers Association urged the commission to consider municipal exemptions for farmers who have been compliant since 2020, arguing that current approaches could disadvantage established, law-abiding growers.
On cultivation practices, Kristen Fowler, a technical IPM consultant, urged the CRC to consider safe, biologically derived curative options for growers. She said growers are limited to 25(b) products and sometimes must perform full-room cleanouts for pests such as root aphids and powdery mildew, which raises costs and operational risk.
Why it matters: These comments touch on key policy tensions as the regulated market matures: how to preserve social-equity pathways that were promised during licensing, how to prevent the regulated market from being undercut by less-regulated hemp products, and how to ensure lab testing and pest-management rules protect consumers without crippling local operators.
How the commission responded: The meeting record shows staff acknowledged these concerns (Director Riggs urged responsiveness to licensing staff on renewals and compliance) but did not issue case-level resolutions during the public meeting. Several commenters asked the commission to facilitate municipal engagement and to consider regulatory clarifications; those requests were recorded for staff follow-up.
What happens next: Public commenters asked the CRC for more direct help with municipal coordination and technical assistance and requested clearer pathways for social-equity conversions and for protections that ensure New Jersey growers and manufacturers can compete in the regulated market.
