DEERFIELD — The Select Board has authorized Town Administrator Kayce Warren to begin negotiating a host community agreement with a Washington state-based marijuana testing facility.
Confidence Analytics of Redmond, Washington, is proposing a “state-of-the-art” facility in Deerfield that will perform third-party testing of marijuana products before they hit the market.
CEO Nick Mosely presented the company’s plans for the facility, which would be located in a third-party testing laboratory on SunnyDayzCannabis’ proposed campus across from Tree House Brewing on Routes 5 and 10.
“I think that’s a great idea, good synergy for sure,” board member Trevor McDaniel commented at a Slect Board meeting Dec. 29. “How many other laboratories are in western Mass.?”
Mosely was unsure about the number of labs in the state, but he said there are few enough that there is a strain on the supply chain.
“I do know that statewide there is a shortage of laboratories,” Mosely said. “It represents a bottleneck in the supply chain and we’re looking to widen that.”
According to Mosely’s presentation, the laboratory would bring approximately 20 to 30 jobs to Deerfield “while facilitating success of local and regional cannabis businesses who rely on testing laboratories.”
“We would seek to hire local talent,” Mosely said. “(And) develop experienced chemists and microbiologists here in Deerfield.”
Mosely noted that Confidence Analytics’ facility in Washington has performed more than 1 million tests on 200,000 individual samples and wants to bring its expertise to the Pioneer Valley.
Select Board Chairman David Wolfram and fellow board member Carolyn Shores Ness proposed that Mosely and Confidence Analytics work to “encourage lab science initiatives with schools.”
“We would love to work with the Select Board or any other opportunities to work with students. … We’re definitely open to any and all of the above,” Mosely said.
Wolfram added these opportunities can teach children about science and the cannabis industry could provide an opportunity for STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in Deerfield.
“It’s very important that they really understand the nuts and bolts of things like this,” Wolfram said. “Because cannabis is a growing industry, it can also open doors for them. … Maybe this is a field some of these students could want to go into if they have a strong science background. … I think we have a wonderful opportunity with a lab like this in town because it’s not something they would normally run across.”
With that, the Select Board welcomed Confidence Analytics to the negotiating table for a host community agreement.
“We have a track record of doing things right,” Mosely said, “and we are excited at the prospect of joining Deerfield.”