click to enlarge SWEET LEAF California’s changing legal landscape is ushering in a new era for cannabis.

Happy 4/20, and welcome to the Nugget, a weekly column focusing on all things cannabis, conveniently rolled up within the safety of a free local newspaper.

I hope you’ll turn here for authoritative reports on everything from legislative updates to sustainable cultivation trade secrets and why I love compost tea. Get the dirt on beneficial microbes and how to feed your soil. Find out what our local officials are up to and get the lowdown on becoming compliant with the changing legal landscape.

Regardless of which side of the industry you find yourself, this era of prohibition has created an industry gone wild. But now a newly regulated industry is opening the pathway to education, legal protections and new health and safety standards. I will regularly seek to dismantle stereotypes and myths while talking about the real-life opportunities and pitfalls that face this emerging new industry.

A bit about me: I’m the executive director of the nonprofit Sonoma County Growers Alliance. We are a hub for collective cannabis knowledge and expertise in Sonoma County and beyond. In March, the SCGA celebrated its one-year anniversary. Stemming from its grassroots origins in this lovely agriculturally rich county, the SCGA has been focused on developing cannabis regulations at the state, county and city levels. We seek to be a voice and a source of information with the aim of ensuring that the new policies are both fair and balanced.

Concerned that new legislation could open our local markets to giant, out-of-state corporations that would squeeze out cottage industries, the alliance began organizing the local community in 2015. The scope of work has since expanded as we develop allies across many sectors. These new relationships have resulted in environmental cleanups and participation in events like the Sustainable Enterprise Conference and Elevated Cannabis Compliance Conference.

This new world of cannabis is unfolding right now, making this a phenomenal time of transition, innovation and creation. We are all in this journey together, cultivators, consumers and citizens alike. The evolution of this industry will have broad and lasting impacts. In the spirit of collaboration toward a mutually beneficial future, we say cheers to thriving craft farmers, sustainable yields and safe medicine.

Tawnie Logan has been active in the cannabis industry for over 15 years. For more info, go to scgalliance.com. Please send questions and comments to comments@scgalliance.com.