FAQ

Why is LD1847 regulatory capture for national monopolies?

By replacing our current, functioning track & trace and testing system with a taxpayer funded contract to METRC, a national software company that has failed in multiple other states.  Audit based testing (led by OCP) is a better, more equitable system that doesn’t favor scale. With small growers and retailers wiped out, the only ones left will be a) large multi state cannabis operators, b) METRC, the digital track and trace platform that only makes money when states mandate its purchase and c) testing labs that get paid when they “pass” a batch

How will LD1847 destroy small businesses?

Here’s the math - a small grower grossing $500K per year would be mandated to buy tests costing $60-$100K per year plus hire a full time employee for compliance (another $50K/year).  These added costs are greater than the average profits.

Why doesn’t mandatory batch testing improve product safety?

As proven in other states via a) laboratory remediation b) sample manipulation and c) distorted marketplace dynamics. If a flower test comes back positive for yeast and mold, under LD1847 rules it can be “remediated” (blasting it with radiation until it tests “negative”). LD1847 proposes grower submitted testing samples, not OCP selected samples, resulting in a systemic misrepresentation of samples. An unhealthy market = unhealthy product

What should testing look like to maximize product safety?

In dairy and oyster farming, Maine doesn’t require every batch/unit to be tagged and tested. Agricultural regulators understood that a) this isn’t necessary to have safe products and b) small operators wouldn’t survive under such a regime. We support random, audit based, OCP product testing. This is ALREADY WRITTEN into the law, but OCP has not been carrying out their responsibility. OCP should hold bad actors accountable, while letting compliant operators flourish. 

How is METRC monopolistic?

METRC, the proposed track & trace platform collects fees from growers, and the states that contract them. Their business model is predicated on states mandating its purchase. They used to have a major competitor (Biotrack) whom they recently acquired