What is commercial cannabis cultivation and processing?

Cannabis cultivation is the process of growing cannabis within a regulated environment for the consumption via a medical or adult-use cannabis program. Generally cultivation refers to the agricultural activities associated with the propagation and growing of cannabis. Cannabis processing is when you manufacture finished cannabis products, packaging of dried flowers or manufacture and package cannabis-based products (i.e. extracts, edibles, and topicals). To be able to produce cannabis and cannabis derived products commercially a specific license is required, requirements depend on the state in which you are locating this business.

How much will I need to spend for a cannabis cultivation license and facility?

The fees for a cannabis cultivation license vary greatly depending on the state in which the facility is to be located. Also facility build out costs vary greatly depending on the type of cannabis cultivation facility (indoor, mixed-light green house, outdoor). Depending on the facility type a cultivation facility can range from 2 million to 20 million dollars.

Who oversees the regulation of Iowa’s medical cannabis program?

Iowa’s Medical Cannabis program is overseen by the Iowa Department of Public Health's Office of Medical Cannabidiol.

What products are available through Iowa’s medical cannabis program?

Iowa’s medical cannabis program permits the below product types. Oral Form Tablets Capsules Liquids Tincture Sublingual Topical Forms Gels Ointments Creams Lotions Transdermal patches Nebulizable Inhaled forms Suppositories Vaporization

Does Iowa’s medical cannabis program limit the amount of THC available in products?

At the time of passage Iowa regulated the amount of THC in products to 3%, as of June 2020 the THC cap has been raised from 3% to 4.5 grams per patient every 90 days.

Iowa Cannabis License Solutions

The Iowa Cannabis License Experts experienced team will help you to get your Iowa Cannabis License faster and with an unmatched success rate. Having to repeat your Iowa Cannabis License application process will set your business back by months and significantly impact your earnings potential. We’ll help you navigate the Iowa Cannabis License market. We’ll also help you on your path to a Iowa Cannabis License and much more by booking your FREE consultation today.

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Market Overview

Iowa lawmakers in 2014 passed an extremely restrictive medical cannabis legalization law that allowed qualified patients to possess but not purchase low-THC cannabis oils. Three years later revisions to the program through HB 524 and in 2019 through HF 2589 significantly increased the number of qualifying conditions and more recently made revisions that allow for patients to possess and access cannabis with higher THC content. This being said, Iowa’s medical cannabis program which is referred to as the Medical Cannabidiol Program still remains as one of the more restrictive programs not allowing raw cannabis flower to be sold directly to consumers and the state only allows for two manufacturers to legally operate.

Book a free consultation today to learn more about how our team can assist you and your team on your path to licensure within the Iowa cannabis license market.

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Iowa Cannabis License Requirements, Timelines, and Selection

Iowa has a very limited number of licensed cannabis businesses in the state, currently there are two manufacturing facilities and five Iowa cannabis dispensaries in the state. There is no indication that the state will issue additional Iowa Cannabis Licenses and previously the only additional Iowa Cannabis License application periods since the 2018 awarding of licenses has been to replace licensee’s that discontinue operations. The last Iowa Cannabis License application period was in 2020 and was to replace one of the two manufacturing licenses in the state.

Iowa Cannabis License Types

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Matthew Caton Yield Cannab

Canna License Experts, and their team were retained by our company to help us along the way with a retail canna license. Brian Wolf along with Kalpna Mistry and their team of experts were there the entire way through the process. Thanks again to Brian and Kalpna for all you support from our family at YIELD Cannab Co.

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We have contacted a few licensing company before I decided to contact with Canna licensing Experts. So far I think I have made the right choice and I am happy with the work they have done for us. The team answer questions promptly and never leave us alone. Not to mention their charge are reasonable comparing the similar type of consulting company and quality of their job.

Joseph Dow Dow Testing Labs

Brian and Kalpna at Cannabis License Experts were very pleasant, informative, and knowledgeable regarding licensing. They helped us fill out all the forms needed and guided us through the entire process. I am sure that without their guidance our application would still be in process, or have been dismissed because of some missing information.

Basic Demographic Information
Resources include the US Census Bureau, City-Data.com, and any additional relevant resources.
Total # of Licenses	7
Total # of Counties	10
Total # of Cities/Towns	221 towns and 13 cities
County population in 2019	214,237

Des Moines

Median Age

$54K

Medial Income

$150K

Median Home Price

$872/Month

Fair Market Rent

Iowa Cannabis - Business Climate

Iowa is yet to fully embrace the legalization of Iowa medical cannabis and still has an extremely restrictive program in terms of product selection and Iowa cannabis license availability. Furthermore, current licensee’s have had issues with becoming profitable due to the high prices in the state and the limited pool of qualified patients. That being said, the state still has a lot of market potential especially as the program expands or if the state moves into adult use legalization.

Financial Requirements

Iowa’s application process did not require a specific amount of capital to be held; however due to the limited number of licenses in the state, successful Iowa Cannabis License applicants were well capitalized. Many States and local jurisdictions require a certain level of liquidity, cash on hand, and /or CPA and/or Bank letters to ensure that Iowa Cannabis License applicants have the financial wherewithal from the licensing process through to the initial 2-5 years of operations. Commonly a 3-5 year Financial Pro Forma is also required. Financial requirements typically include a minimum amount of liquid cash on hand and/or CPA letter. This is common for most jurisdictions as a mandatory part of the application. General minimum requirements for Iowa Cannabis License applications is a 2-3 year Pro Forma.

Real Estate & Zoning

Consideration for regional and local zoning with regard to allowed proximity to certain business types, schools, and other prohibited areas should be researched according to local and municipal rules. Possession of real estate is often a requirement for licensing prior to Iowa Cannabis License application submission. The state only requires that licenses can not co-locate and that facilities are at least 1,000 feet from schools. For more information on completing your iowa cannabidiol application and how to get your Iowa cannabis license faster book your FREE consultation to meet us about your compliance needs.

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Applying for a Iowa cannabis License and unsure where to start?

Currently the Iowa cannabis license application period for cannabis licensing in Iowa is closed. New Iowa cannabis license opportunities will be announced as Iowa continues to review and re approach the roll out of its medical program. Now is the time to get ahead of the process by defining your business. CLE can develop a preliminary business and feasibility plan to help give an understanding of your cannabis business viability within the Iowa cannabis license market and give a head start in the Iowa cannabis license process.

In order to get started, reach out to one of our regulatory experts today to learn more about Cannabis Business Solutions.