Mississippi
Some MS cannabis growers may not be able to turn a profit with new weed-testing regulations
State Health Officer offers further grace period for growers to catch up with new regulations
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Dozens of medical cannabis cultivators and other business owners voiced concerns Thursday at the State Capitol over the potential negative impact of new yeast and mold testing requirements for flower.
During an advisory meeting with state health officials and legislators, small-size cultivators said they are being squeezed both by new testing regulations and methods, which is causing more failed sanitation tests, and by the fact that if they fail, there is currently no way to have the product retested if the batch is “cleansed”.
They said this could threaten some small cultivators’ livelihoods. According to figures from several sources, the new testing standard alone will likely cost smaller growers thousands either through retesting and pretests, cleansing or purchasing new equipment.
It is already a distressed industry, with 393 licensed Mississippi cannabis businesses, including dispensaries, cultivators and processors, serving 43,000 medically approved customers across the state, a tough ratio for these businesses.
“Some of the farmers are living from crop to crop… I think we’re pushing this a little too fast. I don’t have an issue with (the testing standard). I’m all for it, but I have an issue with we don’t have an accurate testing guideline to reach that number,” Phen Schlett, owner of Big River Cannabis, said, referring to how cultivators haven’t been given guidelines on how to reduce the number of yeast and mold cells in crops.
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According to figures provided by the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association, cultivators and lab owners, it costs growers $500 to test one batch of flower at a testing facility. If it fails, the flower must be turned into oils or other distillates. That process cuts the crop’s value in half, Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association Executive Director Henry Crisler said. Growers can also appeal test results to the state for a possible retest.
During the meeting, several business owners expressed concern that the new standard will cause them to fail their tests, tanking profitability. Dekalb-based Alchemy Analytics, a testing lab, has already seen several failed tests, CEO Hatem Mourad told the Clarion Ledger.
Perry Lewis, COO of Steep Hills, the only other operating lab in the state, said of the 24 batches of flower the lab has tested without any prior cleansing, seven passed and 17 failed. Five other batches were sent in pre-treated with radiation, and they all passed.
“It’s definitely a high percentage, and the other lab is quoting about the same or worse than we are,” Lewis said.
In January, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program implemented a new regulation requiring a limit to the amount of mold and yeast cells found within flower. To ensure businesses had enough time to adjust, there was a six-month grace period. More than 20 other states with cannabis programs already have this requirement.
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However, in December and January, nearly 75% of the industry’s product was recalled due to testing failures at Rapid Analytics. Lewis said it was difficult for Steep Hills and cultivators to catch up to the regulation as they were trying to retest products and recoup losses. Lewis said that situation continued until late June, when retesting stopped. The new regulations took effect July 29.
“It felt like a lot of people forgot where we were at the beginning of this year,” Lewis said, noting that Steep Hills took on a large portion of the industry’s testing when Rapid Analytics closed. “June was the first time we felt like we were in a position, when we were in a good turnaround point to prepare for the new regulation.”
State Health Officer Daniel Edney simply said that wasn’t an excuse, and that several mid to large-sized cultivators already cleanse their product.
“We lost six months of grace period, and I’m just challenged to know why there was no discussion about this in the last six months,” Edney said. “We could have taken care of all this over the grace period…I’m happy to extend it for a limited amount of time with a game plan. We want everybody to be able to comply in a reasonable way and not impact negatively their business.”
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Edney also said the program plans to release guidelines in a few weeks on having failed product cleaned so it can be resent for compliance testing.
“We’ve even looked at what do we need to do at the state level to provide remediation access for the smaller cultivators,” Edney said. “We want to make this work where this is not the Department of Health trying to run people out of business.”
However, Crisler said he is unaware of any remediation businesses in Mississippi, and the cost for cultivators to acquire the equipment to conduct that cleaning is expensive. Some of that equipment can costs more than $200,000, one cannabis cultivator said during the meeting.
If growers were to pay a third party to conduct the testing, it would also cost nearly $200, and they would still have to spend the about $500 to retest for compliance, Crisler said. Labs can also conduct a research and development test of a small sample before a cultivator sends in a batch. Lewis said Steep Hills currently charges $110 for just a yeast and mold research and development test.
Edney said that while he understands the new testing standard is affecting smaller growers, they are necessary to keep the public safe, and that he is willing to work with cultivators to become compliant with the tests. He did not say when a new grace period would start or how long it would be.
Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.
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Mississippi
Mississippi State vs. Eastern Kentucky odds: Early point spread released on Bulldogs, Colonels
![Mississippi State vs. Eastern Kentucky odds: Early point spread released on Bulldogs, Colonels Mississippi State vs. Eastern Kentucky odds: Early point spread released on Bulldogs, Colonels](https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/08/25203642/Untitled-design-3-7.png)
Mississippi State Head Coach Jeff Lebby Recaps Second Scrimmage
Mississippi State will open the tenure of their new head coach in Jeff Lebby on Saturday. They will so do in Starkville as a large favorite against Eastern Kentucky.
Per FanDuel, the Bulldogs are a 26.5-point favorite (-110) over the Colonels. The over-under for the game between the two is set at 60.5 points.
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How to watch EKU vs. Mississippi State
Time: 6:00 p.m. EST
Channel: SECN+, ESPN+
Location: Davis Wade Stadium (Starkville, Mississippi)
MSU vs. EKU will be one of three games on SEC Network+ this weekend. Ole Miss will play Furman an hour later at 7 p.m. EST with Auburn playing Alabama A&M a half hour after that at 7:30 EST.
More on EKU vs. Mississippi State
This will be the first-ever meeting between Mississippi State out of the SEC and Eastern Kentucky from the FCS.
The Bulldogs will kick off their debut year under Lebby against EKU. It will be his first head coaching job after serving as an assistant and coordinator at Baylor, UCF, Ole Miss, and his alma mater in Oklahoma.
Mississippi State went 5-7 in 2023 in their lone season under Zach Arnett. That makes this the third head coach in as many years for the program following the unfortunate passing of Mike Leach at the end of 2022.
Lebby is a respected offensive mind and should now bring some high scoring back to Starkville.
With those points will also hopefully come some more wins with FanDuel setting their win-total at just 4.5 for 2024. It’ll be a difficult first year with half of their schedule being in the Preseason Top-20. That doesn’t include any of their next three after this opener with them being at Arizona State, against Toledo, and versus Florida.
Eastern Kentucky will start this season after going 5-6 last fall. This will be their fifth season under Walt Wells after he previously served two separate stints as an assistant in Richmond. With this past season, EKU is 22-21 through his four seasons as head coach.
Mississippi State has a lot to be excited about with Lebby getting started there this fall. That includes an opening win this weekend as a favorite of over 25 points at home against the Colonels.
Mississippi
Coon Rapids Dam leak creates two sheens on Mississippi River last week
![Coon Rapids Dam leak creates two sheens on Mississippi River last week Coon Rapids Dam leak creates two sheens on Mississippi River last week](https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/078ceed/2147483647/strip/true/crop/860x484+0+0/resize/1894x1066!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum-communications-production-web.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6a%2F6e%2F2db65e794a838106d3db8923b17d%2Fmn-brief-2.jpg)
COON RAPIDS, Minn. — State officials say a leak of hydraulic system lubricant from the Coon Rapids Dam created two sheens on the Mississippi River last week.
They said the substance can come into contact with food and not cause harm and that drinking water is still safe.
“Three Rivers Park District, which operates the dam, has reported to the Minnesota Duty Office that during the adjustment of a dam gate Tuesday morning, a valve malfunctioned and released the substance into the river. The park district estimated about 30 gallons of lubricant spilled,” according to a statement released by Michael Rafferty, spokesperson for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The first sheen was reported Tuesday, Aug. 20, between Coon Rapids and Fridley. It was about 25 feet wide at one point and stretched for nearly two miles.
A second, smaller sheen was detected Wednesday morning, Aug. 21, near Mississippi Gateway Regional Park, formerly known as Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.
Responders used booms to try to keep the sheens away from water intakes for both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Both have since dissipated. Additional samples are being tested as a precaution, but state pollution control agency officials say they are not concerned about the safety of drinking water from that part of the river.
Mississippi
From Mississippi to Australia: Madison Central graduate’s emotional journey to joining professional soccer team
![From Mississippi to Australia: Madison Central graduate’s emotional journey to joining professional soccer team From Mississippi to Australia: Madison Central graduate’s emotional journey to joining professional soccer team](https://gray-wlbt-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YLSHYCICCZHEJI5ZJERJFRR7K4.png?auth=b4d8bc89f61caa43dd57131cb8e4625d3cc4c3b195158b31cda16b4d762d673a&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
RIDGELAND, Miss. (WLBT) – Ever since Cariel Ellis was 7 years old, she had a soccer ball at her feet and now her lifelong dream of being a professional player is coming true.
“I always prayed and hoped that I would go pro,” Cariel Ellis said. “My parents and all the coaches I had growing up from club always believed in me so I had to continue to believe in myself.”
Ellis might be overseas playing soccer for Melbourne City Football Club in Australia but her journey started right here in Mississippi at Madison Central.
“I enjoyed every single moment of it and I just learned a lot on and off the field,” Ellis said describing her time at Madison Central. “Especially perseverance, to keep going and keep pushing and just prepare myself for the next level.”
The next level for Ellis out of high school was right around the corner at Holmes Community College.
“The girls were sweet, nice, and kind,” Ellis said while talking about her visit to Holmes. “That drew me in but I could also tell that the coaches were really genuine. There really was no place like Holmes.”
Ellis played for Westley Noble while at Holmes and he saw so much potential in her.
“She came here and she worked extremely hard and she was unbelievable for us,” Noble said. “You could see from day one that she really wanted what she’s getting now and it’s a byproduct of the work she’s put into it.”
After her two years at Holmes Community College, finding a new school to call home wasn’t the easiest. There were many upsets, downs, and bumps in the road but none of it pushed her away from the game. Ellis moved out of Mississippi and found her home away from home at Lamar, and they helped her speak her dreams into reality.”
“It was just all around a great culture and a great environment,” Ellis said. “They definitely prepared me for the next level because they always said Cariel you’re going to go pro you’re gonna go pro.”
Now that she’s reached the professional level, Coach Noble has retired her Holmes jersey just to show how proud he is of her and her hard work.
“We wanted to show her how much she meant to us and give her the thanks that she always gives to us,” Noble said. “It’s a gesture from us to show her that we’re proud of her and will forever be proud of her”
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