The mainstream media hasn't entirely hopped on board when it comes to reporting the cannabis industry. Some bits, like the number of tax dollars collected, the shutting down of illegal operations, and the exploding of cannabis stocks, are reported to the masses, but other areas of information, like the boom of cannabis employment, hasn't received the same level of coverage. While this may seem like a small slice of cannabis industry information that the masses could do without, there are ripples that reverberate up the supply chain as a result, and cannabis farmers feel the quake. 

The Data: 

According to Leafly's latest Cannabis Jobs Report, "243,700 full-time-equivalent jobs are supported by legal cannabis as of January 2020." That's a 15% increase from last year's report of 211,000. Additionally, within the past four years, the industry has doubled in size, making the legal cannabis industry the fastest growing industry in the United States! Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Illinois currently lead the employment expansion in America. Massachusetts' adult-use market recently became a year old, which may explain their addition of 10,226 jobs that pushed them to the top of the expansion chart. In 2019, Florida also saw tremendous growth, becoming the state with the most medical patients in all of America. "That growth in the patient base, along with the state of smokeable flower sales, boosted Florida to a 93% increase in total sales," according to Leafly. It's true that we see higher expansions rates in our newer markets, but even with this growth in our fellow American states, California remains the largest employer of cannabis-related jobs, regardless of its narrowed pool due to the sunsetting of a medical marijuana collectives law. However, Colorado shows they are the top contender when it comes to cannabis employees per-capita, with one employee per 165 residents. 

When compared to the other rapidly-growing industries in America, the percentage growth of cannabis industry employees is projected to outgrow even the first-place holder. With the assistance of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and data collected from Cowen, New Frontier Data, Grand View Research, and Leafly, we can expect the count of cannabis workers to grow 250 percent between 2018-2028, and the second in line, solar photovoltaic installers, to only expand 63 percent. 

Why does it matter if this information isn't reported nationally? 

This lack of reporting means many Americans lose access to valuable information. Without that access, we add to the stigma and shaming that our industry currently faces and encourage the spread of misinformation. Nearly a quarter of a million Americans rely on the industry as a source of income to pay their bills, tax dollars, and other expenses, and according to Leafly, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics refuses to count them in their economic reports. "Those who aren't officially counted don't officially exist. There are now nearly a quarter of a million Americans whose professional lives are categorized as illegal or nonexistent by the government of the United States," Leafly states. 

In addition to this, other industries refuse to work with cannabis businesses due to their illegal national status. This resistance can currently be seen with banks, labor contractors, construction companies, attorneys, and more. The involvement of these other industries would add additional employment opportunities in the cannabis industry, contributing positively to the economy and unemployment rate. By reporting cannabis employment data, we can start working toward national recognition of the industry. 

What does the future of cannabis employment look like for cannabis farmers specifically? 

For farmers, seasonal staffing in a rural area can be difficult. Not only is the population lower compared to metro areas, but the commute time for someone living off property can be extensive, and the temporary nature of the job makes the opening unattractive to most applicants. The utilization of Farm Labor Contractors (FLCs) has helped many crop producers fill this seasonal workforce void. However, FLCs are predominantly only in the wine and traditional agricultural industries, with very few crossing over into the cannabis industry for fear of compliance issues and federal tax reporting. Currently, those working in the cannabis industry are not recognized on a national level, and FLCs would rather not step into that grey area of what is illegal and what isn't. By pushing cannabis employment data out toward the eyes of more Americans, we can start to shift the attitude toward the industry, and begin making cannabis employment an occupation that FLCs feel comfortable staffing. 

With the constant and wide-spread need for seasonal workers during the summer and fall months, the cannabis industry could have a significant impact on the H2-A program as well. This program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to America for agriculture labor, giving them the opportunity to work towards obtaining their citizenship. At this point, the program does not allow for cannabis-related farms to take part in this program. If the cannabis industry became widely recognized as a legitimate industry, we could work directly with these programs rather than having to piggyback on this under-the-radar by partnering with cannabis-friendly FLCs, which are already few and far between.

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