Author: toker

What Cultivators Are Talking About In New Jersey

What Cultivators Are Talking About In New Jersey

February 20, 2026 Published by


What Cultivators Are Talking About In New Jersey

New Jersey is a highly desirable cannabis market for new operators because of its rapid billion‑dollar growth, strong consumer demand, and status as one of the most profitable yet undersupplied markets on the East Coast.

Cultivators came together at the recent IgniteIt event to share their perspectives on the market. Genetic preservation, price compression, the future of breeding, and what makes a great cultivator were among the key topics.

What Makes A Good Cultivator?

Aside from operational chops, a cultivator must be able to “read the room” in their cultivation facility. Panelist Chad Salute, Head of Cultivation at iAnthus, who has been growing since the 90s, says, “It’s not just a set-and-forget-it environment, light or irrigation strategy.” He added that great cultivators are the ones who can come in, read the plants, and push them as hard as they can to get the most expression.

Salute explained that top growers rely on constant observation and hands-on adjustments. They monitor subtle cues like plant color, structure, and canopy variation, then fine-tune conditions daily. He compared the process to training athletes, noting that strong vegetative growth lays the foundation for peak performance later in the cycle. Ultimately, he said, the difference comes down to experience and instinct. The best cultivators can scan thousands of plants, spot small micro-environmental issues, and make targeted changes that bring out the highest quality results.

Josh Krane, Fractional Head of Innovation for Justice Cannabis, adds, “If someone doesn’t have those ‘goggles,’ the best SOPs, the best building, the best nutrients are not going to get you to the best expression of that plant.” He added, “On a per-cultivar basis, I need a few turns with the plant to really understand how it responded to the tweaks we made, and if we are getting the best out of this plant, and if it is going to stay in our cultivation long-term.”

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The post What Cultivators Are Talking About In New Jersey appeared first on Marijuana Retail Report – News and Information for Cannabis Retailers.

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Business of Cannabis Business Brief

Business Brief: Safe Harbor Capitalises on Rescheduling Momentum with Financial Ecosystem Offering

February 20, 2026 Published by

Business Brief: Safe Harbor Capitalises on Rescheduling Momentum with Financial Ecosystem Offering

Cannabis fintech Safe Harbor Financial is positioning itself to capitalise on the regulatory tailwinds created by federal rescheduling, launching new service partnerships and renegotiating core banking agreements in a bid to fill the severe financial infrastructure gap in the US cannabis industry.

The flurry of activity began in December 2025, when CEO Terry Mendez framed the Trump administration’s rescheduling executive order as a ‘monumental shift in tone from Washington’ that would strengthen operator economics while increasing demand for Safe Harbor’s specialised compliance infrastructure.

Mendez predicted that eliminating Section 280E tax restrictions, which currently force cannabis operators to pay effective tax rates of 50-60%, would ‘materially enhance operator cash flow and profitability,’ creating more predictable deposits, reduced account churn, and improved credit profiles across Safe Harbor’s client base.

Weeks later, the company moved to capture this opportunity through rapid expansion of its ‘Advantage Partner Network’, a curated ecosystem of compliant financial services designed to make Safe Harbor a one-stop platform for cannabis operators.

On January 14, Safe Harbor announced partnerships with Frontier Risk and AlphaRoot to offer cannabis-specific insurance solutions, including property, casualty, general liability, and product liability coverage, creating what it described as ‘a new, complementary revenue stream’ while deepening client relationships beyond traditional banking services.

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Three weeks later, Safe Harbor added closed-loop payments capabilities through a partnership with Lüt, addressing one of cannabis operators’ most persistent pain points: sudden payment network shutdowns and heavy reliance on cash.

Lüt’s ‘Reserve’ system operates outside traditional card networks using a pre-authorised digital wallet model that eliminates NSF risk and supports retail, delivery, payroll, vendor payments, and e-commerce transactions all within the regulated banking system.

But perhaps the most significant development came February 9, when Safe Harbor announced a transformational renegotiation of its Commercial Alliance Agreement with Partner Colorado Credit Union (PCCU), the regulated financial institution that underwrites Safe Harbor’s banking platform.

The amended agreement, which extends through December 2031 with automatic renewal provisions, fundamentally reshapes Safe Harbor’s economics. The company’s share of loan interest income increases from approximately 37% to up to 65%, a roughly 75% increase expected to generate $9m over the agreement term with no incremental cash costs.

In exchange, Safe Harbor will indemnify up to 65% of potential loan losses, though notably, no PCCU loans have defaulted to date.

Additionally, Safe Harbor’s asset hosting fee drops approximately 23%, delivering $250,000 in annual savings that could scale to $600,000 annually as PCCU’s deposit base grows. Including a $400,000 retroactive payment backdated to October 2025, the total incremental benefit exceeds $10.5m over the agreement term.

“PCCU’s decision to extend and enhance this partnership validates both the strength of our platform and the capability of our management team,” Mendez said.

“The new economics significantly benefit Safe Harbor; we are converting non-cash risk exposure into substantial cash revenue and cost savings.”

While rescheduling may attract more traditional banks to cannabis banking, Safe Harbor argues the sector’s ongoing complexity, including rigorous Bank Secrecy Act requirements and transaction-level monitoring, creates sustained demand for specialised platforms with deep compliance expertise.

The post Business Brief: Safe Harbor Capitalises on Rescheduling Momentum with Financial Ecosystem Offering appeared first on Business of Cannabis.

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Thailand: Russians caught selling magic mushrooms for ‘stress relief’

Australian Cannabis Party Update, ” NSW Parliament is Back and Jeremy Hit the Ground Running”

February 20, 2026 Published by

Australian Cannabis Party Update, ” NSW Parliament is Back and Jeremy Hit the Ground Running”

They write Parliament has just resumed for 2026 and Jeremy Buckingham has wasted no time getting straight to work. Cannabis Inquiry: Cross-Party Agreement on Reform Last week, as Chair of the inquiry into the Impact of the regulatory framework for cannabis in NSW, Jeremy formally reported the committee’s findings to Parliament. The findings and recommendations were […]

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