Middle Township to Host Medical Marijuana Grower at Aug. 5 Meeting

COURT HOUSE – As part of Middle Township’s ongoing efforts to boost job creation and economic development, Mayor Timothy Donohue, Administrator Kimberly Krauss and a group of township department heads met in early July with the principal owners of INSA, a cannabis cultivation and distribution company based in Massachusetts.
According to a release, INSA is a multi-state, vertically integrated cannabis company that has been in operation since 2017.  They have operations in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
INSA would like to pursue a medical marijuana license in New Jersey, for a facility to be located in the township.  
In order to apply to the state, INSA would need a letter of support from Middle Township.
Middle Township Committee will host INSA for a public information presentation at 6 p.m. Aug. 5, as part of the township’s regular meeting agenda.
The public is encouraged to attend.
“We know folks will have many questions and concerns regarding this innovative proposal for our town,” Donohue stated. “As a governing body, we share these concerns. So far, we have been impressed with INSA, their principal owners and the very public-conscious way they do business. The potential benefits, in job growth and economic activity, are certainly worth exploring.”
INSA is proposing to build a 30,000 to 40,000-square-foot cultivation and production facility on the site of the former La Monica Brands processing plant on Indian Trail Road.
At the facility, INSA would cultivate cannabis, process cannabis plant material into cannabis oil, use the cannabis oil to manufacture products and package cannabis products for sale.
Kim Krauss, Committeeman Michael Clark and representatives of the Middle Township Police Department traveled to Springfield, Mass.  July 24 to meet with local elected officials, law enforcement and to tour the company’s production and retail facilities.
“It was a worthwhile trip,” stated Clark. “The local officials described a great working relationship with INSA. Law enforcement has had no problems related to INSA’s operations. The company’s facilities were very secure and well managed.”
The products produced from the proposed site would be transported (via a discreet, secure transport vehicle) to medical marijuana dispensaries throughout New Jersey.
INSA also intends to operate a medical cannabis dispensary at the proposed site.
There would be significant security at the facility.  INSA will equip the facility with interior and exterior security cameras, motion sensors, glass break detectors, access controls, panic/duress alarms, and two-way bullhorns.  
In addition, INSA will have a security team with a physical presence on site.
None of the cannabis plants and/or products will be visible from outside the building.  All cultivation and processing are indoors. INSA controls the airflow in the facility and employs an air filtration system to prevent any odor issues.
All products are tracked in an inventory management system from seed-to-sale.  By meticulously tracking plants and products, INSA prevents diversion of the product.
The development of a medical cannabis facility would help drive economic growth in the area.  INSA expects the facility will employ 75-100 people, year round, in both salaried and hourly positions.  
Hourly positions typically pay between $14-$25 per hour and salaried positions range from $50,000 – $150,000.
INSA would give hiring preference to members of the local community.
“I encourage residents to attend the presentation Aug. 5,” Committeeman Theron “Ike” Gandy stated. “There are many in our community and county who could benefit from the medicinal uses of cannabis. Many are now traveling great distances outside our area to fill their needs. If we have the ability to improve access for these folks, while bringing quality, year-round jobs and economic activity to Middle Township, this is certainly a concept worth exploring.”