Hemp-marijuana pollen concerns getting new look in Colorado

Colorado has assembled its panel of cannabis experts to suggest fixes for cross-pollination concerns among outdoor hemp and marijuana growers.

The group comes in response to a new law that calls for solutions to cannabis pollen-drift concerns.

The law also aims to take a look at the prospect of wild or volunteer cannabis, plants growing outside facilities licensed for marijuana or hemp.

Colorado has licensed 564 hemp farmers on 19,707 outdoor acres. State analysts estimate the state has 120 outdoor growers of medical or recreational marijuana. (Colorado’s marijuana regulators do not keep track of which registrants are growing outdoors, making the number an estimate.)

The cross-pollination working group members are:

  • Brian Higgins.
  • Bill Conkling.
  • Grant Orvis.
  • John McKay.
  • Thomas Dermody.
  • Christian Barr.
  • Mike Sullivan.
  • Jon Vaught.
  • Steve Turetsky.
  • Veronica Carpio.
  • Eric Singular.
  • Damian Farris.
  • Scott Perez.

The group has until November of 2022 to recommend new requirements on spacing and timing for cannabis cultivation.