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Hearst cannabis grower signs supply agreement

Hearst Organic Cannabis Products will produce organic, craft cannabis for BC Craft Supply
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Hearst Organic Cannabis, founded by Joël Lacelle, has signed an agreement to supply his product to BC Craft Supply, based in Vancouver. (Twitter photo)

A Hearst-based business that’s one of the country’s first legally licensed cannabis “micro-cultivators” has signed a supply agreement with a Vancouver-based distributor.

BC Craft Supply Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Pasha Brands Ltd., announced on July 29 it has signed an agreement with Hearst Organic Cannabis Products.

Owner Joël Lacelle received his approval to operate from Health Canada on July 12.

According to a news release, under the new agreement, Hearst will supply BC Craft with its ongoing production to be sold as dried flower. BC Craft will process and package the flower and distribute the product to licensed retailers.

"Building Hearst and receiving my Health Canada licence has been a challenge, but I'm encouraged by the high demand for craft products," Lacelle said in the release.

"I'm proud to partner with the team at Pasha and BC Craft as they have clearly demonstrated their passion for supporting all craft cannabis producers in Canada."

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Under Health Canada guidelines, micro-cultivators can operate with 2,152 square feet of total canopy space, which can include indoor or outdoor farming.

It’s expected the production will produce roughly 500 kilograms of cannabis annually.

Hearst Organic Cannabis Products will plant its first legal crop in August 2019 and harvest later in the fall.

"Joël and his team started with a shovel and navigated the licensing process in just over nine months," Pasha Brands CEO Jason Longden said in the release.

"They represent the first truly craft producer to be licensed as a micro-cultivator in Canada, the first of many BC Craft intends to bring to market, so this agreement is historic."

Pasha Brands works within an established network of hundreds of craft cannabis suppliers. Its subsidiary, Medcann Health Products Ltd., is a Health Canada licensed cultivator and processor with a licence to sell medical cannabis products in Canada.