www.wgrz.com Open in urlscan Pro
23.209.72.238  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

GET /search

<form class="header__search-form" method="GET" action="/search">
  <label class="header__search-label" for="site_search">Search:</label>
  <input class="header__search-box" placeholder="Search wgrz.com" id="site_search" type="search" name="q">
  <button class="header__search-submit" type="submit">Search</button>
</form>

DIALOG

<form method="dialog">
  <button class="grid__modal-close" aria-label="close"></button>
  <input name="__RequestVerificationToken" type="hidden" value="CfDJ8J4NtQ6h5xZAuKZ_zzqr9VzRvQpnhHmpRe_kkSfwVqRu6oPjkpxf0K-KsR0kmtSSHVqfe3kKsj3_QMggxo1cTfRacrRivnZ56_o6EqUk6jv8TaIS-AL3tyJcQMVLSZXLOTZ14zgbPidPB9EHQcMQZ_c">
</form>

Text Content

Skip Navigation
 * Share on Facebook
 * Share on SMS
 * Share on Email


NAVIGATION

 * News
    * Back
   
    * Local
    * Near Me
    * Entertainment
    * Health
    * Money
    * Nation World
    * Politics
    * 2 Investigates
    * VERIFY
    * Shows
    * Features
   
   Latest News Stories
   
    * WNY INCARCERATED ARTISTS WORK TO BE FEATURED
   
    * NEW YORK RECEIVING NEARLY $250M FOR LOW INCOME SOLAR PROJECTS

 * Weather
    * Back
   
    * Forecast
    * Radar
    * 10-Day/Hourly
    * Closings & Delays
    * Traffic
    * Closings Registration
    * Weather Cameras
    * STEM Star Student of the Month
   
   Latest Weather Stories
   
    * STORM TEAM 2 WEATHER FORECAST
   
    * WIND ADVISORY FOR PARTS OF WNY

 * Sports
 * VERIFY
 * Daybreak
   
   
   
   00:00
   
   00:4701:00GO LIVE
   
   
   
   Facebook
   Twitter
   Email
   Embed
   SpeedNormal
   Autoplay
   
   
   
   
 * Search
   Search: Search


Right Now
Buffalo, NY  »
55°

Buffalo, NY  »
Weather Closings
 * Advertise With Us
 * Investigative Post
 * Recalls
 * VOTE
 * Business First
 * Most Buffalo
 * What 2 Do
 * Unknown Stories of WNY
 * Future of the Bills
 * Sign up for newsletter
 * commUNITY
 * Closings
 * Instagram
 * Mental Health
 * Selfless Among Us


Breaking News
More (-1) »

Business


NYS LICENSED MARIJUANA GROWERS UPSET WITH GOV. HOCHUL

The farmers claim Gov. Kathy Hochul "turned her back on cannabis farmers amidst
catastrophic industry failures."
NYS licensed marijuana growers upset with Gov. Hochul



00:00

00:0000:00GO LIVE



Facebook
Twitter
Email
Embed
SpeedNormal
Autoplay





MORE VIDEOS

Next up in 5

In the News Now | Distracted Driving Awareness Month

 * Next up in 5
   
   In the News Now | Distracted Driving Awareness Month

 * POSTCAST: The Philadelphia 76ers fall in 0-2 hole in their Playoff Series
   with the New York Knicks

 * Donte DiVincenzo Hits the Shot of the Century For the Knicks As They Take a
   Shocking 2-0 Series Lead

 * Tennessee Football Recruiting: Radarious Jackson commitment moves Vols closer
   to Top-5 Class

 * Lindy Ruff returns as Sabres head coach!

Author: Dave McKinley
Published: 11:33 PM EDT April 20, 2024
Updated: 11:25 PM EDT April 21, 2024


BUFFALO, N.Y. — Some marijuana growers licensed by the state are upset with New
York Gov. Kathy Hochul who they say turned her back on them, despite promises to
secure funds in the state budget to keep them going as they struggle to stay
afloat.

"At every every turn this program is a disaster," said Joe Caladerone, president
of the Cannabis Farmers Alliance, made up of growers who invested considerable
time and money to get licensed and then even more to raise a crop.



The group says New York's clunky rollout of its retail marijuana program, which
Calderone says has become "a laughing stock in other states" has resulted in
significantly fewer stores than anticipated being opened by now.

With not enough places to sell to, it left farmers having to destroy some of
what they grew and losing their shirts in the process.

"According to a survey of 108 of our farmers they are underwater for tens of
millions of dollars in debts. S they were looking for a relief fund," Calderone
said.

The fund as envisioned would be provided for in the state budget in order to
tide the growers over until things improved.

"This would be based on the failed rollout of the (state cannabis) program
because whose going to put plants in the ground if they are worried they are
going to lose more money or investment?"

Calderone says despite a promise by the governor she would help .no relief has
come.

“On March 4, during the Farm Bureau’s Taste of New York event, Governor Hochul
looked our farmers in the eye, promising to work with the legislature on
providing immediate cash relief. Yet, here we are, the crisis worsening, with
Hochul's office showing a chilling disregard for those same farmers." said
Calderone. "Meanwhile the governor celebrated the opening of the 105th
store...when we were supposed to have many many more within the second or thirds
year so I'm not sure what the governor is celebrating."

Now, according to Calderone, a growing number of growers are giving up, and
trying to cut their losses after having seen their dreams go up in smoke 

"In fact, some of the new entrants are actually shopping around their licenses.
We know of six alone that are brokering their licenses, both micro businesses
and cultivators," Calderone said.

RELATED VIDEO:




RELATED ARTICLES

 * 4/20 grew from humble roots to marijuana's high holiday
 * 2 new recreational marijuana shops open in WNY
 * State budget contains provisions to crack down on unlicensed pot shops

Daily Buzzwinners

Daily Buzzwinners
Learn More
New York Slot Players Wish They Knew About This Earlier
Hearing Tech Report

Hearing Tech Report
Learn More
Hearing Loss? These Are Only $99 In Buffalo  
by Taboolaby Taboola
SponsoredSponsored
Promoted LinksPromoted Links



Forge Of Empires - Free Online Game

Must-Play in 2024: No download requiredIf You Are 45 Years Old, this Strategic
Game is a Must-HaveForge Of Empires - Free Online Game |
SponsoredSponsored
Play Now

Get Glowic Now

Discover The Natural Taiwanese Secret To Getting Your Glow BackThis simple
10-second skincare ritual transformed my skin at 52, i'm feeling like i'm in my
30's again. Get Glowic Now|
SponsoredSponsored
Learn More
Life Insurance

Buffalo Seniors: Get A $150k Life Insurance Policy For $13/monthLife Insurance|
SponsoredSponsored

BrightLifeDaily.com

New Stair Lifts Don't Require Installation (Check Now)BrightLifeDaily.com|
SponsoredSponsored
Learn More

Life Insurance

New York Seniors with No Life Insurance Get a $250k Policy for $18/monthLife
Insurance|
SponsoredSponsored
Leaf Filter USA

Don't Pay For New Gutters in Buffalo. Get This 3-In-1 System InsteadLeaf Filter
USA|
SponsoredSponsored
Learn More


Season ticket holder shocked at $400,000 price tag to keep seats at the new
Bills Stadiumwgrz.com

Marcia Clark Reacts to O.J. Simpson's Deathwgrz.com





Loading next article...




BEFORE YOU LEAVE, CHECK THIS OUT

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 


 * Jobs
 * Terms of Service
 * Privacy Policy
 * Ad Choices

 * EEO Public File Report
 * FCC Online Public Inspection File
 * Closed Caption Procedures
 * Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

© 2024 WGRZ-TV. All Rights Reserved.



WGRZ WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU PUSH NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT THE LATEST NEWS AND
WEATHER.

Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings.

No Thanks Allow





‘DO NOT SELL OR SHARE MY PERSONAL INFORMATION’ NOTICE

Like many content publishers, we provide online advertising services that use
cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your device and
online activity on our sites, apps and other online services. These services use
this information to try to tailor the ads you see online to your interests.
These are called interest-based ads. For more information about our collection,
use and disclosure of your personal information when you visit our sites and
apps, see our Privacy Policy.

Under certain state laws, including, but not limited to, the California Consumer
Privacy Act, California Privacy Rights Act, and the Virginia Consumer Data
Protection Act (collectively, “State Privacy Laws”), this collection and use of
our users’ information for interest-based advertising purposes may constitute a
“sale” of personal information to other parties. Certain State Privacy Laws
require that we give you the ability to opt out of the sale or sharing of your
personal information or data in connection with these targeting advertising
activities. Although State Privacy Laws only extend their protections to
residents of their particular states, we respect consumer choice when it comes
to privacy rights. Accordingly, we offer all of our users – regardless of
whether you are a resident of a state that has adopted a State Privacy Law – the
right to opt out of this type of sale or sharing of your personal information.
You can exercise this opt-out right by using the toggle switch below.

Opting out will not disable cookies or other technologies that facilitate the
proper functioning of our website or collect data for purposes that do not
involve targeted advertising. Opting out will not mean that you will stop seeing
interest-based ads or other ads online. Specifically, opting out will not
prevent you from seeing interest-based ads based on information that, for
purposes of State Privacy Laws, was not sold or shared by us, was sold before
you opted out, or was sold by third parties outside of our control. You can
learn more about interest-based ads and additional opt-out choices here.

In addition, if you are a California resident and have enabled the Global
Privacy Control (GPC) signal on a supported web browser, we will treat this as a
request to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information for
targeted advertising purposes. For more information about what the GPC is and
how to enable it, please visit globalprivacycontrol.org.
More information
Allow All


MANAGE CONSENT PREFERENCES

STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES

Always Active
Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched
off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you
which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy
preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block
or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

SALE OF PERSONAL DATA

Sale of Personal Data

 

 * TARGETING COOKIES
   
   Required Cookies
   
   These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They
   may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show
   you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal
   information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet
   device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted
   advertising.

 * PERFORMANCE COOKIES
   
   Required Cookies
   
   These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure
   and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are
   the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All
   information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If
   you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our
   site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

Confirm My Choices

Back Button

Back


PERFORMANCE COOKIES



Vendor Search Search Icon Filter Icon


Clear Filters

Information storage and access
Apply
Consent Leg.Interest

All Consent Allowed

Select All Vendors
Select All Vendors
All Consent Allowed

Confirm My Choices