Mendocino Cannabis Alliance Launches Pledge Drive and the First Mendocino Cannabis Advocacy Awards

Press release from the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance (MCA):

Mendocino Cannabis Alliance (MCA), the premier cannabis trade association in Mendocino County, is undertaking a Pledge Drive from August 15 to September 19 to support their essential policy advocacy, as well as their business development work helping Members bring their licensed products to market.

The Pledge of Alliance Drive will culminate at the First Annual Mendocino Cannabis Advocacy Awards which will celebrate leaders in the Mendocino community who have gone above and beyond to advocate for our local legacy cannabis cultivators and businesses.  For this Inaugural event MCA will be honoring:

• Hannah Nelson – Attorney and MCA Senior Policy Advisor,

• Jude Thilman – Medical Cannabis Educator, Dragonfly Wellness Center Owner and MCA President, and

• Casey O’Neill – Co-owner of HappyDay Farms, Emeritus Member of the MCA Policy Committee and Founding Member of MCA.

As the voice of cannabis in Mendocino, MCA makes sure the best interests of the entire community are represented in their advocacy efforts.  In 2020 the licensed cannabis operators of Mendocino generated over $110M of economic activity within the County in a cultivation footprint of less than 300 acres.  Since then, the wholesale cannabis market has crashed while the cost of living and doing business has increased, and the ever-changing regulatory process has drained the resources from most of our small local businesses. Many licensed operators have fallowed parts or all of their gardens to conserve resources while still working to remain compliant in the licensed market. The direness of this situation requires immediate and sustained attention if Mendocino is to protect this vital component of our local economy.  It is MCA’s commitment to continue moving sustainable local cannabis policies forward, and to do this MCA will need the support not only of its Members, but of the Mendocino County community at large.

Recent MCA advocacy successes have included:

• the adoption of a Fallowing program that will reduce the minimum tax for licensed operators who voluntarily reduce the amount of their canopy below certain levels,

• a commitment from the Cannabis Department not to deny any applicants engaging with them until an appeals process has been developed and implemented,

• a commitment from County Counsel and County Staff to develop and implement an appeals process for applicants,

• the ability for Local Equity Operators to use Equity Funds for County cannabis taxes

• direction from the Board of Supervisors and the Cannabis Ad Hoc to the Cannabis Department to revise the Equity Manual to allow any uses not explicitly prohibited by the State, and

• ongoing stakeholder meetings with Supervisor Haschak, the Cannabis Department, the CEO’s office and other appropriate State agencies and local departments, to name just a few.

Throughout this drive MCA will be reaching out to businesses across the County who understand the important role that licensed cannabis activity plays in the stability of Mendocino’s future. MCA invites all locally licensed cannabis operators (and anyone who wants to see a sustainable approach to local cannabis regulations) to join as Members, or to support as Sponsors. The Pledge of Alliance Drive is a chance for the entire Mendocino community to come together and ensure that MCA’s important work continues in service to all of Mendocino County.

MCA has already received a commitment for a Matching Funds Donation of up to $20,000 for funds raised during this drive, making each Donation, Sponsorship, or new Member signup even more valuable to the future of the organization.

The Mendocino Cannabis Advocacy Awards & Dinner will take place from 4-7PM at Cafe Beaujolais on September 19, 2022. CLICK HERE to get your tickets through Eventbrite.

Ticket prices include world-famous pizza from Cafe Beaujolais, farm fresh salad and raspberry lemonade from MCA Member Radicle Herbs, delectable local dessert, coffee, music, goodies from our members’ personal gardens, access to our very special Silent Auction, and more!

MCA has sponsorships available for this event and the ongoing work of the organization – CLICK HERE for more information.

To join MCA as a locally licensed cannabis business, CLICK HERE.

Individuals without licensed cannabis businesses who wish to support our efforts can CLICK HERE to become an MCA supporter.

Those wishing to donate funds to support the work of MCA without becoming a Member or Sponsor can CLICK HERE to make a digital donation, or email [email protected] for alternative donation options.

As part of the Pledge of Alliance Drive, the entire Mendocino community is invited to join MCA at the Little Lake Grange in Willits, CA for a screening of LADY BUDS on August 19 at 7PM.

LADY BUDS, a documentary directed by CJ Russo, tells the story of six courageous women – including Mendocino local (and MCA Member) Chiah Rodriques of River Txai Farms and Arcanna Flowers – as they make the transition from the medical cannabis community of Prop 215 to the commercial cannabis industry of Prop 64.

When: Friday, August 19th at 7 pm

Where: Little Lake Grange, 291 School St. in Willits

Cost: $15 tickets- for sale at the door

LINK: CLICK HERE for the Event Page on Facebook

MCA is a not-for-profit California Mutual Benefit Corporation, but donations are NOT tax deductible.