In this episode, listeners will learn more about

[00:00:37] The Regulatory Landscape

• Discussion of how California's cannabis system appears "built to fail"
• Analysis of the $191 million in cannabis seizures
• Impact of overtaxation on industry sustainability

[02:01] Black Market Analysis

• Debate over true size of illicit market
• Discussion of crossover between legal and illegal markets
• Supply chain challenges for small growers

[04:04] Growing Methods & Environmental Impact

• Comparison of sun-grown vs indoor cultivation
• Environmental regulations affecting outdoor grows
• Discussion of water usage and contamination issues

[06:27] Quality Control Challenges

• Recent increase in product recalls
• Issues with testing lab credibility
• Problems with current oversight system

[08:32] Industry Future Predictions

• Comparison to beer and wine industry evolution
• Discussion of potential "extinction event" for small farms
• Role of craft cannabis in future market

[11:29] Golden Hour's Approach

• Focus on supporting family farmers
• Importance of sustainable and regenerative growing
• Strategy for sourcing quality cannabis

[19:28] Political Landscape

• Discussion of legislative challenges
• Analysis of pay-to-play politics
• Impact on small producers

[21:42] Working with Legacy Farmers

• Building trust with skeptical growers
• Development of sustainable partnerships
• Creating new business models

[27:10] Business Sustainability

• Discussion of inventory management
• Building farmer relationships
• Long-term business strategy

[29:36] Taxation Issues

• Analysis of increasing tax rates
• Impact on market competitiveness
• Barriers to legal market success

[37:28] Future Outlook

• Importance of consumer education
• Role of farmers markets
• Fighting for industry preservation