Significant Expansion Approved for Petrolia Area Cannabis Farm
Humboldt’s cannabis industry is struggling but a Petrolia area farm is expanding its operations.
Approved at the Sept. 4 county Planning Commission meeting, a variety of permits will allow Empress Farms, LLC, to expand its 10,000 square feet of previously-approved outdoor cultivation area to about 80,000 square feet.
Located on Mattole Road, the project also includes a commercial nursery and non-volatile cannabis manufacturing.
About half of the cultivation area expansion is being done under the county’s Retirement, Remediation and Relocation program, which allows more cultivation in exchange for moving farming away from environmentally sensitive areas.
Large-scale projects often draw opposition from neighbors but Senior Planner Clif Johnson said meetings with nearby property owners shaped permit conditions and concerns about impacts of water use have been addressed.
The farm’s irrigation source is a rainwater catchment pond and a permit condition requires that water storage be expanded or water records be presented showing a limited irrigation rate of 4.6 gallons of water per square foot of cultivation area.
Use of a well and a spring is proposed for non-cultivation purposes and an added permit condition is to install water metering in 2026. The metering requirement had previously been triggered at the start of manufacturing, which will probably not occur until later.
Water use from the well and the spring is limited to 180,000 gallons annually.
Though expansive, the farming area allowance is based on water availability.
“Essentially, we limited their cultivation area based on the reasonable amount of water they could gather in a drought year,” said County Planner Andrew Whitney.
There are now six buildings being used for cannabis operations and six new structures will be used for “employee needs,” waste storage, office space, the manufacturing, and packaging.
Power will be provided by Pacific Gas & Electric.
The commission’s approval of the project’s permits was unanimous.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Unless there’s language to limit those 180,000 gallons to certain times of the year, it’s a useless agreement. They’ll just save their spring and well usage until the drought hits, even if it’s not for cultivation.
Tell me you have no familiarity with cannabis permitting and growing without saying so…
Id wager they’ll use the water in the summer when plants are growing.
That’s definitely been two acres for some time now, I didn’t realize I could be doing 80k with a 10k ft permit all this time!
Uhh, no. They specifically said the 180,000 from the spring is to not be used for cultivation.
I can’t find the specific prohibition that you refer to. Why would they need that much water if not for agriculture? Why don’t you do the math for us? A family of four, about 400 gal. Per day, household use.
Lawbreakers everywhere
Socal stacks acers
OK, first of all, farming is farming, no matter what the crop. The whole idea of water storage is to have stored water in the summer growing season so you don’t pull water from the river in the dry, summer heat. Let me gently suggest that you have no idea what you are talking about. Oooooh, hoooo, hoo, it’s MARIJUANA people!!! Gasp, choke, aaaaargh.
Its real funny when you get some political guy mad at you find out its not federally legal.whoo hoo cares its all going out of state whoevers doing good.but pay the county corruption fee&your free to play.i bet thats how the 180,000 gal agreement went we’ll write it down like this cause it works keep paying back door money do what you want.this county is a joke ran by jokers.until the wheels fall off&are county is $#it it’ll run they can care less
Big growers are moving to south America
I agree!!!!
If not for agriculture, what would be the point in getting a permit for all that water in the first place? Folks seem endlessly creative and imaginative in finding reasons to hate the plant and its people. Again, people who don’t use cannabis seem endlessly confounded about its appeal.
Well thought out.
I like that they will use PG&E for power and not have generators running full time.
So does pg&€.
Pg&e sucks much rather have generator but propane are astronomical fuel consumption.have to get a Gavin Newsome grant to afford fuel.almost as bad with pg&3
A few grown bigger and wealthier while many shrink and starve. This was always the promise of corporate legalization…
Congratulations on being ” free and safe” everybody!!
Small minds get micro results
What I don’t understand is how is one area “less environmentally sensitive” than another, especially on the Lost Coast?
Or did they just own the land there?
Which Corporate Cannabis Operation are we talking about anyway?
Also not able to understand why the heck you would want to grow anything at all so far from your market?
Environmentally a disaster?
Hmmmmm, probably, no matter where in the Crystal Ship you do this…
I thought they grew weed there because it was easy to escape from the law…
Now, the Law is complicit in the process…
Good planning takes good leaders, neither of which appears to be present here…
You obviously have no idea about this farm. They are NOT some corporate chads.
All permit pansies are suspect until proven otherwise. Suspect of being compliant stooges who have facilitated the corporate takeover of our economy and subsequent destruction of our community…prove me otherwise
“So far from your market”? You’re joking, right? There is a thriving national and international market for cannabis, especially California Bud because we know what we’re doing, like the Scotch know whiskey. I am always amazed at how cannabis distorts the thought processes of people who DON’T use it. Like Ernie B., your loathing and contempt for the plant and its people knows no bounds. Just recently read in the NYT that British Customs still intercepts California Bud in checked luggage because it’s the best and commands the highest prices on the illegal market. You can check in with reality and observe that many, if not all commodities, are made in one or a few locations and shipped to CUSTOMERS world-wide. Honest! Really!
BTW, farming on flat land is far less erosive than plowing or grading a 45 degree slope. But I think you knew that, or am I being too generous? Thinking about WEED again!? Oh, boy, oh wow.
I liked it better when it was illegal, but don’t assume someone does not want to be high…
The way I look at it, I want it Organic and clean…
Hard to do in many places…
I always doubted that Humboldt Weed could be dependably clean, but I couldn’t afford more than about an Ounce a Year…
And Dope is Dope, stoned is stoned, it’s not really a Terroir thing, and a lot of shit sold back in the day was grown in someone’s Garage from Humboldt Strains, and then Labelled “Humboldt”…
I can’t smoke that shit now, it’s too strong by far…
Yeah, it sure was fun to run from the feds and helicopters and then become a felon and lose gun rights and turn up on federal records when you apply for a “regular” job. Opinions are one thing, and they can vary, but some of these comments just seem to be pure trolling. If you don’t like it, don’t use it. BFD.
Oh yeah it’s really awesome now! Watching friends lose their homes, others move away, stress all about it’s super groovy and ain’t it great to be a sellout for so- called freedom? Fuck corporate legalization! And never trust those who support and defend it. The cowards and fools who lick the boots of the agencies….
Pu–y
Oh! So that’s why we are thriving?! Okay yeah sure bro
So far from the market? The world market. The NYT piece I referred to earlier is from the print edition, 9–1-2025, p. A-1, “What’s in the Suitcase: Extra-Strength Cannabis From California” by Lizzie Dearden. California buds lead the market in the UK. These folks appreciate the best. They’re Brits, man! Sheeeesh. Did you honestly think it’s all just for local hippies?
Piece was in the 9-1-2025 NYT print ed., p. A-1, “What’s in the Suitcase: Extra-Strength Cannabis From California” by Lizzie Dearden.
Oops, double post! My bad.
That’s right!!!! And it’s called the county black market
And those that took in all that money during the good years are complicit, Ernie B. You took the cash into your businesses while hating the people that brought it? Go figure. Those of us that enjoy cannabis have a much gentler mindset than those who revile the weed. It’s now a defense against dementia. And pain and inflammation. Good medicine for what ails ya.
Top one percent farming weather in the whole country is located right there. Smart comment takes a smart person…( refer to the end of previous comments)
Mmm..getting there. It improves as you go upstream a bit. Shorter season than down South, but 8-10 ft of rain every year. The irony is that there’s ample water to store, but I bet impress farms has more hoops to jump through than some grower turning a valve in Salinas, where the river is completely allocated.
well grown humco bud is a seller in LA dispos. That crap from the Central Valley is not the same product. Then there’s the value in staying home where your from and continuing to farm your land. Closer to the highway like Ukiah? Fresno? Ventura? The mattole valley is like heaven compared to a spot next to the interstate
The distros don’t tell US that. They value us enough to buy at cost. Maybe on the retail side of the deal they “love” it up here.
retail prices have been the same since 2010. Only the grower is taking it in the shorts from what I see. Best get yourself a dispo. Skip the shisters.
All of these “legal grows” are being worked by illegals. I’d love to see ICE raid them
The State pushed big grows and consolidation. Without the Acre cap lots of farms went as big as possible to chase revenue from all the falling prices from over production. A couple could just about get a 10,000 footer to a $20,000 trim machine and do it. Beyond that, or any trimming to get your $300 “AAA” buds, takes people. Most bigger grows surviving are paying immigrants about half what immigrants used to get paid, and now must trim the weed faster and better. Gone are the days of Europeans with tourist visas. Besides the drop in wages, many were getting detained if they flew into SF, or LA and they had any 707 numbers on their phone. You might be expecting to pick up a friend, they never walk out to arrivals, a week later maybe they call from home. Didn’t really matter if you just wanted to ski or trim. Sign this and never come back, or we’ll detain you indefinitely until you change your mind. The “choice” is yours.
Every product in your fridge is put there thanks to illegals. Wake up and smell the higher prices yet. In most states produce is up 22%. Weed has actually stayed the same. hmmm?
The funny thing about mitigation concerning well/spring water of 180,000 gallons is hydrologically connected to the Mattole watershed, as stated in a short abbreviated staff report given at the Planning commission meeting.
And as County Planner Andrew Whitney stated in his brief staff report to the Commission, “I think we have addressed the neighbors concern”.
The video of this hearing item can bee seen here:
https://humboldt.granicus.com/player/clip/2112?view_id=5&meta_id=506548&redirect=true
And the staff reports can be seen here:
https://humboldt.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7643188&GUID=5413C8C4-2CC9-4C30-A82C-0E37CAA32235&Options=&Search=
See attachment 6 for the Watershed Map for this project and others in the area.
If only the Waterboard actually cared about quantifying and regulating ALL ag irrigation in the ENTIRE state. From a weed growers perspective water regulation is a complete cluster fuck. Eight years into a permit, CDFW officer was the first to request Waterboard Domestic Water right on my 100 year developed property. I’ve been engaged with the Waterboard on this project three different ways already for the entire time. They want the fees from the permit mailed in (after a 10 hr mapping and documentation process). So that when you NEVER hear back it’s on YOU. I started with the ‘ol CalCannabis (now DCC) forcing you through a duplicate water right application, having two identical rights, (the WB uses complex different codes to reference the four different registrations. In the confusion I didn’t do the annual report on one of the duplicates…$3,000 fine! (This is for 65,000 gallons on a less than 10k back yard garden)..best part, the waterboard can’t internally negate the duplicate. You must cruise the labyrinth and “revoke” your own permit!
See, this is just weed. The Waterboard ostensibly was going to regulate all rural water withdrawals as of 2013. (They claim FOREVER, since their inception at the Center of the Universe)The only outreach was a KMUD news item. All they had to do was use public records and mail a request for info from any address outside a Community Services district supplying water. Instead they lie in wait to jump anybody having trouble with their dysfunction.
I just got a “violation” to correct from the DCC because they say I don’t have any of my three water rights. I mailed that in six months ago, along with a second application for the “Small Irrigation Use Registration”, just in case. $450, and $900 respectively. Never heard back. See, this one agency can sit on their thumbs after cashing your check, and jeopardize your permits with the other ten agencies you are forced to work through. I’ve got to do this cyber forensics work to justify sending in $7,000 for one more year of a DCC permit for a grow that resulted in a $7,000 loss last year.
So you wanted a permit? That was your first mistake
Why not? It was irrational to not grow weed for a while there. Voters voted for 64 in broad terms. Agencies lined up with their hand out. Most voters (and even you if you never pursued a permit) don’t really know what it’s like trying to be “compliant’ in ways no other ag operation is.
I see that you are smarter than everyone around you, but what I was offering was a little view into what has devolved in your neighborhood. I’m giving your strong opinions some evidence. Be so glad you were right!
I thought the RRR program was no longer available? Hmm something to look into
They must know something that others do not… The talk is about the industry failing. Perhaps the dispensaries are thriving.
Conservatives will be pleased to gloat over California over-regulation that is killing the industry. Red Oklahoma, on the other hand, is beating us at our own game. I guess Oklahoma Republicans are not as florid and partisan as their Cali counterparts. Oklahoma, it’s OK.
they are doing better than the average grower. In states other than Ca they are big profit. Ill bet they bring in a few bejamines everywhere they open until the novelty wears off ( five years)
Where’s the mattole state free-staters to protest weed capitalism?
only worried about logging I guess
The greedrush did that…it twisted peoples’values
That field is as capitalist and erosive as a hay field.
The county is in league with the devil.