Cannabis growers will get a place among state fair winners

Cheese, olive oil and now, cannabis. California’s long-established state fair has announced cannabis products will soon join the annually judged awards.

“We are pleased to celebrate California’s legal and licensed cannabis industry as part of the CA State Fair in 2022,” said California Exposition & State Fair Board of Director Jess Durfee. “For the past 166 years, the CA State Fair has always been a first mover, leading the state fair circuit with innovative programming and large-scale competitions that celebrate the best the state has to offer, making the addition of cannabis cultivation a natural new category.”

Recreational use of marijuana in the state was approved by voters in 2016, which kicked off the explosion of a market now estimated to reach multibillion-dollar levels.

Now, starting with the July 2022 fair, cannabis growers will be able to compete in three primary divisions for submission by light source: indoor, mixed light and outdoor. About 80 medals will be awarded, including a Golden Bear trophy for “Best of California.”

“The launch of state-sanctioned awards will showcase the California farmer, large and small, and the incredible cannabis flower that the state has to offer,” said CEO Brian Applegarth of San Francisco-based strategic marketing firm, Cultivar Brands. “We will also educate, demystify the plant and challenge the stereotypes.”

Santa Cruz-based SC Labs, a cannabis and hemp testing lab, will score the competition.

"I'm really excited to be involved with the state fair because it is the traditional place where the agricultural community comes to show off their best work," said SC Labs Co-founder and President Josh Wurzer. "This further validates cannabis as part of that community."

The California State Fair is set to take place July 10-26, 2022, at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento. Officials said the submission window opens on Nov. 1, 2021 and will remain open until March 30, 2022. Award winners will be announced in May 2022. Visit www.castatefaircannabisawards.com for more information.

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