LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Cannabis Farming in Carpinteria Valley is What the People Want

A small group of anti-cannabis voices linger in Carpinteria Valley. You often hear, “I’m not opposed to cannabis, but I didn’t vote for it to grow here.” The Santa Barbara County electorate overwhelmingly voted for cannabis legalization so long ago in 2016. They also voted for county cannabis taxes in 2018 — 4 percent of sales from the farmer to the county. In the race for First District Supervisor in 2020, voters in Carpinteria re-elected Das Williams over Laura Capps, who ran a campaign based on fixing the cannabis problem. This message did not garner a winning coalition, even from a well-known and respected political family. It’s fair to say that voices of outrage toward cannabis are animated by an anticannabis sentiment. What else could it be?

Cannabis farmers in Carpinteria have walked-the-walk when it comes to responsible farming. All of the claims about crime or kids getting access to cannabis farms or of property values and tourism suffering due to nearby cannabis never became true. There was real fear about cannabis, but it was never warranted. Cannabis has an odor that some people don’t like, and the industry has done excellent work with a data-driven and solutionsbased approach to eliminate cannabis odors.

The local cannabis farming industry has matured at a rapid clip and earned a reputation as a respectable industry. Voters have signaled repeatedly that it belongs. It remains disappointing when some use the cannabis boogeyman as a political tool and in the media to generate unfounded fear and loathing. It’s 2023, and high time to let go of the stigma.

— Peter Dugré, Carpinteria, California peter@two-trumpets.com

Very Grateful for Cannabis Dollar Donations

I’d like to send a strong message of gratitude to our friends in Carp’s “New Ag” sector for a history of continuous and generous support of our nonprofit community and the end users—our fellow Carpinterians. Throughout the history of cut flowers and during the devastating economic turn growers’ experienced in a global market competition, growers have remained steadfast in their commitment to building community in important, substantial, and sustainable ways. Since the advent of cannabis cultivation when flower-growing was no longer tenable, the same faces, and the same ethos prevailed when it came to giving back. CARP Growers formed to unite industry effort and enterprise and has easily reinvested a half-million dollars individually and collectively in this community over the past 4 years.

Moreover, during COVID-19 CARP Growers was a primary driver of funding and operations of the 93013 Fund along with a program called “Keep the Lights On,” which organized food purchases from local restaurants—over 1,000 orders per week—in an organized way to feed employees and provide local business for restaurants that could not open their doors.

CARP Growers has committed $125,000 toward the construction of the Carpinteria Skate Park and nearly $200,000 to underwrite a full-time Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Counselor at Carpinteria Middle School, meeting a critical, unfunded need.

At a time when the industry is undergoing yet another round of adaptation, I think it’s important to reflect on the historical role agriculture has played in keeping Carpinteria vibrant and thriving. They are our friends and neighbors and are responsible for so many great things, and more to come!

Marybeth Carty, Carpinteria, California