California MJ company teams with water developer for desert hemp venture

A Southern California marijuana company is teaming with a rural water projects developer to start growing hemp in the Mojave Desert.

Glass House Farms of Carpinteria, California, says it has created a joint venture with water developer Cadiz Inc. to grow 60 acres of hemp starting next month in Cadiz, in rural San Bernardino County.

The joint venture will be called SoCal Hemp Co. Cadiz and Glass House Farms say the venture will be a 50-50 split but offered no other financial details.

The companies say the Cadiz hemp farm could expand to 9,600 acres.

California’s hemp industry has struggled to take off amid production bans and an ongoing state ban on selling hemp-derived CBD foods and dietary supplements. A bill to authorize California CBD sales outside marijuana dispensaries is pending in the state Legislature.

Glass House Farms currently grows marijuana in Santa Barbara County, where it is also planning an extraction lab and retail store.

Cadiz Inc. owns 70 square miles of land and works with public water agencies. It trades on the Nasdaq as CDZI.