Despite the tight window following the July approvals for the five companies licensed by New York State, it appears that they will be able to begin selling cannabis extracts in January according to an article by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant. The article provided a good background on Bloomfield Industries and Vireo Health of New York (formerly Empire State Health Solutions), two of the licensed manufacturers.
Bloomfield’s CEO, Richard Yost, founded popular growing supplies Ideal Organix and Ideal 420 Soil. Chuck Schmitt, director of horticulture for Vireo Health of New York, explained how he has quickly gotten up to speed with the help of Vireo Health’s Minnesota unit, Minnesota Medical Solutions. As far as his growing methods:
Schmitt uses integrated pest management, or IPM, instead of insecticides, which he considers important for his medicinal-grade plants. Using organic methods limits the type of fertilizer he can use, he said, and he believes that in an indoor environment he needs freedom to use more types of fertilizer.
Read Deborah Jeanne Sergeant’s “Medical Marijuana Growers Gear Up for Opening Day”: http://www.lancasterfarming.com/Medical-Marijuana-Growers-Gear-Up-for-Opening-Day#.VmHwP7iDFBc
