New York Adult Use Marijuana — Weed to Feed the People Reboot.

Food shortages are imminent. Most Americans are fat and undernourished. End-of-times tropical storms, floods, and fires rampage the globe. We are experiencing the hidden (not-so-hidden) costs of cheap food.

Meanwhile, the emerging marijuana industry is attracting capital by the billions of dollars to indoor cultivation facilities.

I will not use space here to argue the case, but I am starting with three assertions, which are becoming less and less controversial. First, small local farms promote local food security. Second, small, local farms are better at producing fresh, nutritious, and ethical food. And, third, small local farms are more amenable to “regenerative” farming practices that reduce environmental degradation and, some argue, may reverse it.

Therefore, a widespread shift to small, local farms could mean widespread improvements in human health, food security, and human caused pollution and climate change.

Since COVID and war-caused global supply chain disruptions, small local farms are experiencing a boom in demand (supporting the food-security point above). Unfortunately, it is difficult for small farms to be profitable under “normal” PRE-pandemic-verge-of-WWIII conditions. This is a simple truism (with beautiful exceptions) explained by efficiencies from specialization and scale, global market dynamics, and an extensive federal subsidy system. Generally, small local farms must focus on niche crops at premium prices…