The legal cultivation of marijuana has become possible in some areas of California within the last year. Desert Hot Springs, for example, is one of the major hotspots in Socal that’s seen an influx of ganjapreneurs locking down acreage for the development of cultivation compounds. The city of Coachella, however, has established an ordinance that has the potential to make it the front-runner in cultivation practices, thanks to Irvine based marijuana branding and tech company, Cultivation Technologies.
“We saw an opportunity in the city of Coachella— an agricultural community desperately in need of economic development,” says Justin Beck, the president of Cultivation Technologies. “After much discussion, the city said they wanted to participate but essentially didn’t know where to start. So we helped them create an ordinance that fully aligns with the [Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act (MMRSA)] in advance of its final implementation. We now have 6 acres of real estate in Coachella that we’re dedicating to the legal cultivation of marijuana for our Coachella branded cannabis.”
Set to be complete in November, the project encompasses four 22,000 square foot cultivation facilities. The 88,000 square foot desert compound is unique because it includes the entire supply chain: Cultivation, manufacturing, testing, distribution and transportation. In other words, once the flower, or raw cannabis, is grown it doesn’t need to be shipped anywhere for the next steps to occur. Everything will take place on site, which according to Beck, is part of ensuring consistency and quality. Thus, the Coachella brand will include flower, along with an extensive line of extracts and products— all of which will undergo cannabinoid, terpene and toxicity testing. “This type of ordinance is unique in California—I don’t think there’s another ordinance that’s quite like ours,” says Beck.
This is at least true when comparing Coachella’s ordinance with Desert Hot Springs’, which only allows for cultivation— not the entire process from grow to transportation.
But the facility doesn’t limit its extraction, testing, distribution and transportation centers to Coachella branded products. “We will also act as a third party service provider of extracts from local producers of cannabis. We’ll also then test, distribute and transport it from our site,” Beck says. In other words, Cultivation Technologies will allow other cultivation groups and manufacturers to use their equipment to ensure quality, ultimately making their facility an asset to the cultivation community.
But according to Beck, Cultivation Technologies’ project isn’t only going to shift the cultivation game in California— it’s also expected to bring serious cash into Coachella. When the city council members unanimously approved the cultivation project, they saw it as an opportunity to improve roads, industrial areas, buildings and overall infrastructure. “Along with being committed to the highest quality cannabis on the market, we are also committed to the economic development of Coachella. We expect to bring millions of dollars into the city. As an agricultural community, it will really help them.”
The open land in the desert is a draw for those wanting to get involved in the cultivation business, and as Beck says, it’s become quite the “land grab.” But the majority of the ordinances are limited and don’t allow for much outside of growing, putting Cultivation Technologies ahead of the rest. “We’re committed to self regulation in preparation of the future regulations and getting in front of these hurdles while everyone else will be playing catch up. Our commitment to unrivaled quality is going to allow us to grow as a company—this is only the beginning.”
