Agricultural News
OCA's Michael Kelsey Says Medical Marijuana Issue Will Dominate 2022
Tue, 21 Dec 2021 16:36:02 CST
Local and regional issues, compounded with Pandemic-related challenges, have made 2021 quite the doozy for Oklahoma Cattlemen. Michael Kelsey, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, told Ron Hays, Senior Broadcaster for the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network, that 2021 has been a unique year for Oklahoma Cattlemen.
"I hope we never see another year like this again ever, if not for a long time," Kelsey said. "(We are) ending with a lot of challenges - a lot of opportunities but also a lot of challenges."
Issues like fed-cattle price discovery, supply chain disruptions, market volatility and more are all predicted to continue well into 2022.
"(For instance,) marijuana - I never dreamed we would have this type of discussion," Kelsey said. "It has got worse and got better - in essence, it has evolved."
Since Oklahoma began licensing people to produce and sell medical marijuana, the industry has exploded, with more than 13,600 facilities, dispensaries, growers and processors as of Dec. 2021. The influx of medical marijuana opportunists into Oklahoma overwhelmed the state.
The state's newly created Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) was failing to keep up with inspections and illegal activity increased. Legal and illegal operations taxed Oklahoma's weak, rural infrastructure grid causing shortages of shared resources. Additionally, regulations related to growing medical marijuana were impacting and endangering neighboring producers.
"I'll start with the positives," Kelsey said. "Director Adria Berry has been a breath of fresh air at OMMA. She is doing a fantastic job and has a monumental task. She has agreed to come to our winter policy meeting to visit and update us."
Ultimately, Kelsey said OCA, along with other agriculture groups in the state, need to work with OMMA and medical marijuana producers toward resolutions. In fiscal year 2020-21, Oklahoma made more than $81 billion through medical marijuana excise taxes.
More in the positive direction, Kelsey said the state has seen more arrests and pressure on illegal activity. He admits that combating illegal activity involves a lot of paperwork and time, but for agriculture producers, time is of the essence.
"That being said, we are still seeing explosive amounts of permits; the illegal activity continues to be very high; the need for a regulatory environment is very high," Kelsey said. "On top of that, we have two petition initiatives."
One petition initiative is set to ask Oklahomans if the state should legalize recreational marijuana use and the other is set to ask to create a new state agency called the Oklahoma State Cannabis Commission.
"(There is) a lot on that issue," Kelsey said. "Some good. Some bad."
Hit the LISTEN BAR below to hear Ron Hays and Michael Kelsey discuss some key issues OCA leadership will be keeping up with in 2022, including the medical marijuana issue, the McGirt Supreme Court ruling, volatility of the cattle markets and more.
Photo: Map of the total medical marijuana facilities, dispensaries, growers and processors for each Oklahoma county. Courtesy of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.
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