With the passage of Proposition 64, the RCD recognized a unique opportunity to take a proactive approach to working with permitted cannabis growers in our area.  Given many cannabis operations had been operating outside of regulatory statutes and were possibly unaware of many resource issues, CRCD wanted to provide technical expertise and work at the ground-level with local growers.  Our role in the community is not to tell growers what they should and shouldn’t do to conserve resources, we want to help give growers a set of tools to evaluate their successes and areas needing improvement, and to give them a resource to use to market themselves as good stewards. 

Our RCD partners in San Luis Obispo County, Upper Salinas Las Tablas RCD, created the Growing Responsible And Socially Sustainable – Cannabis (GRASS-C) program which is a self-assessment/third party verification program.  The program has caught the interest of local cannabis growers and stakeholders across the state. Recently, the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) was approached by a funding agency to help RCDs work with cannabis growers in their districts to utilize GRASS-C as a tool for collaboration.

CRCD, along with several other participating RCDs, are moving forward with the GRASS-C program, updating it, and involving a wider array of stakeholders who see the benefit of having sustainably, locally-sourced cannabis.  With funding now available, our RCD can work directly with landowners to provide technical assistance regarding their land use practices, cannabis operation, and certifying workforce equity.

CRCD a=nd our partners in SLO County, Upper Salinas Las Tablas RCD and Coastal San Luis RCD,have hosted  cannabis focused workshops and worked together to provide information to the cannabis growers in our counties.  Our hope is to bridge gaps between permitted cannabis growers, resource agencies, and technical experts, provide opportunities for discussion about resource concerns, and to build partnerships. 

Click the link below to see what is required for a GRASS-C certification adapted for CRCD from the program developed by Upper Salinas Las Tablas RCD.