Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says the Florida Department of Health’s rules for applying for medical marijuana licenses are discriminatory.
that emergency rule Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says the Florida Department of Health’s rules for applying for medical marijuana licenses are discriminatory.
that emergency rule From the Department of Health Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) covers applicants who are also members of a historic class action lawsuit, Bigford vs. Glickman.
The case resulted in a $1.25 billion settlement for black farmers who faced discrimination when applying for loans from the USDA.
Under the new rule, Pigford members applying for MMTCs must pay a non-refundable application fee of $146,000, more than double the $60,830 application fee paid by others.
At a press conference at the Infinite Zion urban farm in Orlando on Tuesday, Fred said the fees should be reduced, “which is what we’ve seen in other states across the country, which have recognized that we have social justice across the country and have tried to do better.” “.
Fried says she also wrote to the Florida attorney general, requesting an investigation into whether the rule was created with discriminatory intent.
None of the 22 MMTC licenses in Florida so far have gone to minorities, said Eric Ring, chair of the nonprofit medical marijuana nonprofit Medical Minorities. He said black farmers are already at a disadvantage due to historical barriers to land ownership and access to capital.
“Let’s also remember that there are black farmers in Florida who aren’t part of the Pigford class who absolutely want to be involved in this industry, and I think it’s important for us as a state to make sure we make room for those individuals as well,” Ring said.
One such farmer is Ray Warthen, founder of Infinite Zion Farms. Julius Julius Perry, Warthin’s great uncle, was summarily executed by a white mob during World War II. Ocoee massacre in 1920.
“It bothers me even more, because of the history we’ve known, and what our ancestors had to go through. It’s a steady hill that we have to climb. We don’t even want to be ahead of anyone, just put us in the same field. That’s it.”
The Florida Department of Health did not respond to questions about higher fees for Pigford members applying for an MMTC license.
Copyright 2021 WMFE. To see more, visit WMFE.
The Department of Health covers applicants from the Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) who are also members of a high-profile class action lawsuit, Bigford vs. Glickman.
The case resulted in a $1.25 billion settlement for black farmers who faced discrimination when applying for loans from the USDA.
Under the new rule, Pigford members applying for MMTCs must pay a non-refundable application fee of $146,000, more than double the $60,830 application fee paid by others. At a press conference at the Infinite Zion urban farm in Orlando on Tuesday, Fred said the fees should be reduced, “which is what we’ve seen in other states across the country, which have recognized that we have social justice across the country and have tried to do better.” “.
Fried says she also wrote to the Florida attorney general, requesting an investigation into whether the rule was created with discriminatory intent.
None of the 22 MMTC licenses in Florida so far have gone to minorities, said Eric Ring, chairman of the non-profit Medical Minorities Organization for Medical Marijuana. He said black farmers are already at a disadvantage due to historical barriers to land ownership and access to capital.
“Let’s also remember that there are black farmers in Florida who aren’t part of the Pigford class who absolutely want to be involved in this industry, and I think it’s important for us as a state to make sure we make room for those individuals as well,” Ring said.
One such farmer is Ray Warthen, founder of Infinite Zion Farms. Julius Julius Perry, Warthin’s great uncle, was summarily executed by a white mob during World War II. Ocoee massacre in 1920.
“It bothers me even more, because of the history we’ve known, and what our ancestors had to go through. It’s a steady hill that we have to climb. We don’t even want to be ahead of anyone, just put us in the same field. That’s it.”
The Florida Department of Health did not respond to questions about higher fees for Pigford members applying for an MMTC license.
Copyright 2021 WMFE. To see more, visit WMFE.
