Local cannabis growers will be allowed to open retail stores, according to the Cannabis N.B.

There could be more stores selling cannabis cultivated in New Brunswick in the near future. Cannabis N.B. unveiled a new farm-gate program in which licensed cannabis producers would be invited to apply for permission to sell their goods on-site where they are grown, according to a press statement.

The program intends to enhance the profile of local producers, as well as "educate purchasers about their products" and generate tourism opportunities, according to CEO Lori Stickles.

It will be similar to how wineries give tours and sell their products on-site, said to Rod Wilson of the New Brunswick Craft Cannabis Association.

"It's a big step forward," Wilson said, emphasising that cannabis producers will be able to promote their products directly to consumers and build brand loyalty. A few details, according to Wilson, need to be straightened out.

Wilson also predicted that current government regulations would make it difficult for some craft producers to participate in the effort. According to Cannabis N.B., everything sold at farm-gate shops must be grown, manufactured, and packaged on-site.

According to Tom Devost of Golden Peak in Dieppe, those with micro-cultivation licences are not authorised to produce their own packaging. Golden Peak now sends its flowers for processing to Crystal Cure, a small local business.

Crystal Cure's license, according to Devost, may allow it to develop a farm-gate shop. He is doubtful, however, if it will be possible to sell Golden Peak things.

According to a recent review of the cannabis market's economic potential, the province has 16 licensed cannabis growers. Wilson classified about a dozen of them as "craft makers." How many of them may be eligible for the farm-gate program is unknown.

Cannabis N.B. already sells the goods of small farmers. The shops might open as soon as a month or two from now, according to Lara Wood, vice-president of operations for Cannabis N.B.

And instead of grapes, the shops can wind up looking like breweries. The only licensed outdoor producer in the province is Solargram Farms in Saint-Antoine. While some of the producers have farms, the majority are in industrial parks. According to Wilson, cannabis production facilities must be located on land that is zoned for industrial use.

Wilson started Hidden Harvest, a craft enterprise near Lakeville, on agricultural land, but he believes he is being pushed to relocate and is in the process of doing so.

The New Brunswick Craft Cannabis Association, according to Wilson, has about 50 members. Large producers, he claims, are also on board. They currently rely on small manufacturers to get their products to market.