Copperstate Farms invested in several renovation projects that led to legalization, including the latest hybrid greenhouse technology for airflow, ventilation, temperature control and lighting. Photo: Tongzhou Farm
Cannabis cultivation has grown rapidly in the past decade, from the underground economy of the family to large-scale commercial farming activities. Currently, 35 states in the United States have established plans for medical and/or adult use of cannabis, making cannabis one of the fastest growing industries in all regions of the country.
According to data from MJBizDaily, from employment growth to taxation and real estate, the economic impact of the industry is expected to reach US$92 billion in 2021. Regarding cannabis cultivation, the sector has undergone many changes. As an industry with strict regulations and strict compliance rules, cannabis growers must ensure safe and consistent operations to provide high-quality products. In order to meet national standards and meet the growing needs of consumers and patients, growers ushered in a new era of state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation facilities.
Copperstate Farms is a vertically integrated cannabis company in Arizona with licenses for cultivation, manufacturing and distribution.
The Copperstate Farms greenhouse facility is located in Snowflake, Arizona and includes a 40-acre glass greenhouse. It is one of the largest under-glass cannabis cultivations in the United States and has received approval from the local government to double its production footprint by another 40 acres.
The Dutch-designed greenhouse facility was originally designed to grow tomatoes; however, the operation was destined to not last long and was inevitably closed. Fife Symington, co-founder and managing director of Copperstate Farms, believes that greenhouses have potential, only in different industries.
Copperstate Farms is located at an altitude of 5,600 feet in the Colorado Plateau and receives an average of 300 days of sunshine each year. The combination of natural sunlight and efficient lighting technology enables factories to grow consistent, high-quality cannabis while reducing the facility’s carbon footprint.
Symington has a strong agricultural background at the international level, has developed more than 850 acres of greenhouse space, and established a large vegetable distribution company. He recognized the value of the location and established Copperstate Farms with co-founder Scott Barker in 2016, a few years after the legalization of medical marijuana sales in Arizona.
In a short period of time, Copperstate Farms became the largest wholesaler in Arizona and one of the largest employers in Snow Town (a rural town with approximately 5,000 people). Although it developed its own internal best practices to grow cannabis and scaled up significantly, like many other cannabis operators, Copperstate Farms had to find new ways to deal with the unprecedented growth brought about by legalization.
In November 2020, Arizona voters approved Proposition 207, also known as the "Smart Security Arizona Act," with a 60% advantage to legalize recreational marijuana. The state subsequently achieved one of the fastest promotion of adult use in the U.S. cannabis market. By the end of January 2021, adult consumers will start buying in pharmacies. In contrast, Maine took nearly four years to respond to the wishes of voters.
At Copperstate Farms, the team has made plans for corresponding increases, but expects that the transition from medical use to adult use will take place in June instead of January.
"In the first few months, it was a bit like a fire drill, but since we made the switch, everything has to do with recruitment," Symington said. “We are still looking for new team members in our planting facilities and Sol Flower pharmacy. Bringing growth to the local economy has always been a mission. In 2019, we have 180 employees; we now have nearly 700, most of which are At our factory in Snowflake."
Copperstate Farms' recruitment plan includes adding more senior professionals with backgrounds in modern plant science and analytical chemistry. The company recently completed the construction of a new hydrocarbon laboratory, which prompted the addition of four well-trained C1D1 technicians to supervise the extraction operation.
The laboratory itself is equipped with cutting-edge equipment to enhance the extraction process and expand the production capacity of the cannabis concentrate category. 1,000 square feet of laboratory space includes large-scale hydrocarbon extraction equipment used to produce high-quality active resin concentrates.
Copperstate Farms also invested in renovations that led to legalization, including the latest hybrid greenhouse technology for airflow, ventilation, temperature control, and lighting.
High-tech equipment and automation are currently important factors driving the development of the industry, especially in the legal entertainment market that deals with a wider and larger consumer base.
More and more global agricultural sectors are incorporating automation into their operations, and hemp is following suit. In the past few years, McKinsey & Company found that more than half of the large companies surveyed reported that smart agriculture solutions have improved efficiency and reduced overall operational operating expenses.
As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, opportunities for collaboration between the scientific research community and cannabis growers will play a key role in how the industry continues to grow and the technologies developed to support the industry.
Neko Catanzaro is the president of Proven Media, an agency that specializes in providing public relations and communications services for highly regulated industries, including cannabis. View all author stories here.
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