LCB staff corrects earlier statement on tracking indoor vs. outdoor cannabis producers

Daniel Jacobs, the Liquor and Cannabis Board policy and rules coordinator, returned to the caucus to correct an earlier inaccuracy about licensing records for producers' growing methods. Jacobs said licensing staff do capture whether a producer uses indoor or outdoor methods in interview notes, operating plans and final reports, but the agency currently lacks a straightforward way to extract that single data field into a consolidated report.

"Whether a producer uses indoor or outdoor growing methods is captured in interview notes that licensing staff does with the producer, as well as in their operating plans, site plans, and on the final report," Jacobs said. He apologized for previously stating that the licensing division did not track that information and explained his earlier remark stemmed from a logical inference when preparing the petition response.

Board member Holmes asked what resources or timeframe would be required to update or extract the information into a current report; Jacobs said he would follow up with licensing and IT to assess feasibility. Chair Volendroff and other board members said the clarification did not change their positions on the outdoor canopy petition under consideration.

Why it matters: The ability to report how many producers grow outdoors versus indoors can affect policy analyses for petitions and rulemaking (for example, canopy-expansion petitions). Jacobs' correction clarifies the data exists in case files but that an extractable, up-to-date report is not currently available.