First Cannabis Farm on the East Coast Becomes Sun+Earth Certified

Rebel Grown, a half-acre cannabis farm in Craftsbury, Vermont recently became the first on the East Coast to receive certification from the nonprofit Sun+Earth Certified for its sustainable cannabis growing practices (1). Rebel Grown has grown hemp and cannabis in the state since 2018 (1). Medical cannabis became legal in Vermont in 2004, cannabis for recreational uses followed suit in 2018, and retail sales of both began in 2022 (1).

Rebel Grown uses methods such as cover cropping, mulching, and composting to grow its cannabis outdoors and enhance its soil (1). "Cannabis grown regeneratively, under the sun and in the soil, without toxic chemicals, is not only high quality but also the best for the earth," said Dan Pomerantz, owner of Rebel Grown (1). "We capture carbon through our plants, and sequester it in the ground where it can be recycled through our living soils. Rebel Grown became Sun+Earth Certified to bring high-quality, healthy, ethically-farmed cannabis to the people of Vermont, and to become a model for regenerative organic agriculture everywhere."

For a farm to receive recognition from Sun+Earth Certified, cannabis must be grown under the sun using regenerative methods and without chemicals (2). The organization also emphasizes fair treatment of the farm workers (2). More than 60 other farms—in California, Washington, Oregon, Michigan—have received the certification (1). "The expansion of Sun+Earth into Vermont and the East Coast, with the certification of Rebel Grown, shows that quality sungrown cannabis can be produced across the entire continent," said Heather Dunbar of Sun+Earth Certified (1). "Indeed, the cannabis industry has the knowledge of how to shrink its large carbon footprint, and the wherewithal to prioritize regenerative organic farming. Investing in cleaner, healthier, and more ethical cannabis just makes sense."

The Cannabis Retailers Association of Vermont praised Rebel Grown’s accomplishment (1).

Interested in learning more about Sun+Earth Certified? Check out our interview with Heather Dunbar, Director of Marketing and Communications as she explains the organization’s history and vision.

References

1. GreenMountain Cannabis News. Sun+Earth Certified, West Coast organic cannabis operation, spreads roots to Craftsbury’s rebel grown https://www.reformer.com/cannabis/sun-earth-certified-west-coast-organic-cannabis-operation-spreads-roots-to-craftsburys-rebel-grown/article_fa8d6a66-b4de-11ee-85a5-3340a40958e4.html (accessed Jan 22, 2024).
2. https://sunandearth.org/ (accessed Jan 22, 2024).