Legacy Cannabis Producing Regions Join Forces to Become California’s Largest Cannabis Advocacy Organization
Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA), a trade association representing 275 licensed cannabis businesses in Humboldt County, announced today that HCGA has formally joined Origins Council (OC) as a regional partner for state and federal cannabis policy advocacy. Following the agreement, OC’s government affairs program now represents nearly 900 licensed cannabis businesses in legacy California producing regions, making it the largest membership-based cannabis advocacy organization in California and among the largest in the United States.
Origins Council is a 501(c)4 advocacy organization that partners with membership-based trade associations representing California’s legacy cannabis producing regions. In joining the Regional Council, HCGA joins the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, Trinity County Agriculture Alliance, Sonoma County Growers Alliance, Nevada County Cannabis Alliance, and Big Sur Farmers Association as OC Regional Partners.
By unifying the voices of the three Emerald Triangle counties with other major California legacy producing regions, Origins Council will serve as a unified voice for small and independent legacy cannabis operators to advocate on state and federal cannabis policy. The membership of Origin Council’s six regional partner organizations collectively includes hundreds of small, independent, and legacy cannabis farms, as well as manufacturers, distributors, retailers, testing laboratories, and ancillary businesses.
Following the agreement, HCGA will continue to advocate independently on behalf of Humboldt County businesses on policies at the local level. HCGA will also continue to independently carry out a wide range of non-policy activities on behalf of its membership, including programs related to education, public relations, and market development.
“HCGA has been a trusted partner to the Origins Council since our formation in 2019. Our alliance over these past three years has been invaluable to advancing the mission and work of Origins Council on behalf of the legacy producing community. It is an honor to welcome HCGA into the OC Regional Council, we are grateful to be forging a path forward for California legacy cannabis together.” said Genine Coleman, Origins Council executive director.
“We have the most to gain and the most to lose. By joining together with fellow legacy cannabis-producing regions we are uniting with common values and vision to achieve our missions for the benefit of our communities,” said Natalynne DeLapp, HCGA Executive Director.
“With this year’s collapse in prices to the farmer, it’s more important than ever that legacy producing communities have a strong and unified voice in Sacramento and D.C,” said HCGA Policy Director Ross Gordon, who will also serve as Origins Council Policy Chair. “Joining forces with Origins Council will expand our collective voice on the most urgent issues we face, including cultivation taxes, expanded market access, fallowing, the normalization of cannabis cultivation as agriculture, and equitable federal cannabis legalization.”
Origins Council is represented by lobbyist Mark Smith, Founder and Principal at the Smith Policy Group (SPG), a Government Relations firm representing clients in Sacramento and Washington D.C.
Press Contacts:
Genine Coleman, 707-357-4599
Natalynne DeLapp, 707-599-6670
Ross Gordon, 707-601-5069
