Santa Barbara County-based cannabis company Farming First wants to be the biggest cultivator in California.
Fifth generation agriculturalist William Terry and entrepreneur Stephen Walden announced its new operation on Monday.
Having raised more than $35 million in private funding since starting in 2019, the company plans to grow the farm’s scale and yield.
The company says the operation focuses on bringing best-in-class farming practices to the state’s sun-grown cannabis.
According to Farming First, its its mission is to lead and revolutionize the California cannabis market through its practices.
Continuing a Farming Legacy
With deep family roots in SBC, Farming First Holdings, LLC has 134 acres for cultivation and processing.
According to the company, it will become the largest contiguous outdoor cultivation operation in California.
Aligning with the new operation, Terry says Farming First isn’t just the company’s name, it’s its mission.
“My family has farmed California’s Central Coast region for more than 125 years, giving me immense respect for the land and surrounding community,” says Terry. “Along with Walden and the other founders, we’ve assembled an incredible team that brings together unrivaled cultivation know-how and modern innovation, including agricultural experts, legacy cannabis farmers, lifelong entrepreneurs, and visionary designers and engineers.”
Single-source bulk wholesale flower, white-labeling, and co-packaging are some of the company’s goods and services.
The company also provides custom farming contracts for special needs like dried & cured flower, fresh frozen, and unique strains.
Farming First says it sun-grows its plants sustainably in hoop houses, focusing on terpene profiles through proprietary hybrid farming methods.
“Farming First is showcasing quality flower through a diversity of strains by applying the best of indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor growing techniques to our crop,” says Walden. “ We like to call our farm a one-lighter because our plants are 100 percent solar-powered by the sun—the best and most natural source there is.”
In addition to employing energy and water-saving techniques, the company uses sustainable cattle grazing on 1,200 acres of surrounding lands.
Farming First also works with environmental groups to protect indigenous species like the Tiger Salamander.
“Today’s cannabis consumer is curious about where their product comes from: where it’s grown, how it’s grown, and the stories behind the brands they put in their bodies and bring into their homes,” says Farming First CBO Scott Wilson. “We’re providing California operators with flower they can be proud to put their names on, and anticipate launching our own lineup of product brands very soon.”